EARLY SETTLEMENT REGRET
Early settlement regret is when an auto accident victim settles their personal injury claim too early and seek much less that had they waited to complete their medical treatment or until their condition was finalized. As a car accident lawyer, it is my responsibility to advise clients on the potential impact of their decisions on settlement of their claim, but ultimately the decision is for the client to make about when and how much to accept for their claim. There are times when the client refuses to accept a reasonable offer from the insurance company, but it is more common that the client settles their claim too early to receive the maximum value of their claim.
There are many causes of early settlement regret. Financial need for money now, the inconvenience of continued medical treatment, and impatience with the claim process are a few of the reasons that car wreck victims settle their claims too early. The reality of the auto accident claim process is that once you settle your claim, it is over and cannot be revisited if your condition worsens. The value of your claim is primarily determined by the nature of your injuries and the length of treatment. If you cut short the medical treatment before you are healed or discharged from treatment, you will receive less that if you had completed your treatment. This is the reason that insurance companies will offer you a few thousand dollars immediately after the accident, because they know that to settle early is to settle cheaply.
If you want to avoid early settlement regret in your auto accident claim, you need to be willing to complete the treatment process. Realize that the need for money will be there after your settlement money is spent and you need to deal with those issues as if you had no personal injury claim. Also, you can obtain a loan if the need is severe, but they are high interest loans that should only be used in extreme circumstances.
If you need help with an auto accident claim, contact the Troutman Law Office at 502-648-9507 or go to www.kyautoaccidentattorney.com and we will help you maximize your recovery.