It may seem like a very long time since you were injured in the car accident. You filed your accident claim with the insurance company, and you have tried to wait patiently. However, it has been months, and your claim has not been settled. How much longer do you need to wait?
Settling an Accident Claim Too Quickly
Many accident victims feel pressure to settle their injury claim very quickly. Some people feel pressure from their medical providers who continue to send them huge medical bills and call them repeatedly to collect the debt. Other accident victims may feel pressure from the insurance adjuster to settle the claim. He may call once a week to offer a settlement.
However, if you agree to a quick settlement, you are probably receiving less than you would if you waited until your claim was ready to settle. Therefore, if the adjuster tries to push you to settle within the first few weeks, you should reject the offer and discuss your case with an experienced attorney.
It may be tempting to accept a quick settlement thinking that you are receiving a lot of money. However, when you have additional medical expenses, must be out of work again for treatment, or realize you have a permanent disability, you will then understand why accepting a quick settlement without consulting an attorney was not a good idea.
What is Causing a Delay in My Case?
Some situations can slow down the settlement process in a car accident case that are not within your control including:
- You have not reached maximum medical improvement (MMI). You need to reach MMI before settling your claim because you cannot know the full extent of your injuries, and your damages until you have recovered as fully as possible given your injuries.
- The other side is disputing liability for the accident. Your attorney must gather evidence and build a case that proves the other driver was completely at fault for the crash.
- A very large sum of money is at stake for damages. Your attorney will need time to gather evidence to substantiate the damages so that you can receive as much as possible for your claim.
Regardless of what the insurance adjuster tells you about settling your claim, it is always in your best interest to consult with a New Orleans car accident attorney before discussing settlement terms with the adjuster. You need someone who is only looking to protect your best interest to guide you through the settlement process. That person is not the insurance adjuster for the other driver.
Call for a Free Appointment with a New Orleans Car Accident Attorney
There could be the rare cases where you might want to settle your claim earlier than you normally would do so. However, those cases are rare, and you still need a NoLA accident attorney to review your claim to make sure you are not being taken advantage of by the insurance company.
For a free case review with no obligation to retain our firm, call Attorney Fred Olinde of The Olinde Firm at (504) 587-1440 or 1-800-587-1889. Our New Orleans injury attorneys offer free consultations to accident victims and their families throughout Orleans Parish. We want to make sure you that you have the benefit of experienced legal counsel before you deal with the insurance company for the other driver.