Make sure you don’t receive the short end of the stick when attempting to negotiate an injury claim as quickly as possible.
Like most people with an injury case, the last thing you want is for it to take months, or even worse, for years. While you can accept lower amount of money to have your case settled quickly, keep in mind that it’s not a recommended strategy. That is because you may have expenses crop up months after your case has been settled, and you won’t be able to collect money from the defendant for it.
There are several reasons why your personal injury claim may drag on. It’s time to examine these in more detail for you to understand why it’s really in your best interest to wait it out for a much bigger settlement amount.
Why is My Personal Injury Case Dragging On?
Personal injury cases can take a while to settle because of:
• Legal problematic issues
• You’ll probably get a large settlement amount
• You’re still physically healing
Yes, your case will probably take longer to settle if one or more of the following points mentioned above are applicable.
Legal or Factual Issues
There are two main issues that are at the heart of this point. The first is liability – finding who was at fault and damages which relates to how badly you – the plaintiff – were injured.) Don’t expect the insurance adjuster to make you a good offer immediately if you’re having a hard time proving the other party was at fault. You may have to have your personal injury lawyer take your case to court to get the settlement you want in that instance.
If your case has legal issues, then don’t expect the defendant’s insurance company to give you a good offer until and unless you win your case in court.
You may have issues with damages as well. The doctors who are treating you may not be able to find sufficient evidence that the defendant caused your injuries, so he or she (the doctor) may not be convinced that the defendant’s actions were responsible for your injuries.
In that case, the defendant’s insurance company will be loath to give you a higher settlement amount unless and until your lawyer is willing to go to court and have an expert doctor testify in your favor on the stand.
There is Big Money in the Case
Your case may take longer to settle if you’re going to get a large settlement. Insurance companies don’t want to pay large settlement amounts until they have done thorough research (due diligence) that you truly deserve those amounts. They will pay the settlement money only when they are convinced that:
• You have an ironclad defense
• Your injuries really are as bad as you claim
• Your credibility is solid
It will take a lot of time for the insurance company to prove all of that and more. You will and should wait if you’re still healing. Your personal injury lawyer will tell you that you should wait until you have reached a state of maximum medical improvement because you want to make sure that you don’t have any surprise and unexpected future medical expenses.
You have to play it by ear when accepting a settlement. You should hire a personal injury lawyer in Belleville, even if you are not going to take your case to court so that you can get the best settlement possible.