Must You Wait Until Your Condition Can't Improve Before Accepting Compensation Following A Vehicular Crash? Find Out
Posted on: 10 January 2023
Share
Some collision victims recover and resume their everyday lives after receiving medical services. However, others never fully recover, even after receiving extensive treatment. Often, these latter victims spend a lot of money in order to get better and manage their pain effectively. As such, they may require several weeks or months of treatment due to the actions of a reckless or inattentive driver. This is why, if you're in a situation like this, it is advisable to wait until your doctor confirms that your condition cannot improve before accepting a payment offer. In so doing, your lawyer can pursue a payment that will cover all of your treatment expenses, as this article explains:
When Should You Accept a Payment?
Generally, it is advisable to wait until you have reached maximum medical improvement before you accept an insurance offer. Even so, there are some instances where your lawyer might advise you to accept an offer before it has been determined when you will recover. A situation in which this may occur is if you have suffered severe injuries, and the insurance payment may ultimately not cover all your losses. Accepting the insurance's offer in such a case may enable you to foot your immediate medical bills while your auto accident lawyer pursues other legal options. This can help you get a payment covering all the necessary medical services until your condition reaches maximum improvement.
Still, if your insurance policy can cover all of your damages, your lawyer will likely advise you not to settle your claim too quickly. Instead, they may advise you to wait until they determine how much your claim is truly worth before accepting a payment. This will enable your legal representative to ascertain the cost of your past, present, and future medical expenses. They will then use these calculations to negotiate a payment covering all your losses.
Who May Determine Whether Your Condition Can Improve?
Some insurance companies might downplay the severity of a complainant's injuries in an effort to show that the victim is entitled to a lower or no payment at all. An effective way to prove that you need extensive treatment is by getting a comprehensive medical examination. This will confirm that your condition cannot improve even if you continue receiving treatment. Nonetheless, the insurance company may dispute your medical report and require that you undergo an independent medical examination. If this happens, have your lawyer present during any examinations to ensure that the independent doctor gives an accurate report of your injuries.
As is evident above, it is recommended that you accept an insurance offer only after ascertaining the true value of your claim. Therefore, if the insurance company has offered you a payment, wait until your car accident lawyer determines whether the settlement covers all of your losses. If it does not, the legal practitioner will negotiate for you so that you get the compensation you deserve.
Reach out to an auto accident attorney to find out more.