In the immediate aftermath of a serious injury, it is not always easy to take stock of the many ways that your recovery may impact your life. Building a fair injury claim depends not only on providing clear documentation of the medical costs the injury incurs, but also the many other areas that suffer because of the injury.
This often creates a difficult balancing act for victims. On one hand, the mounting medical bills brought on by the injury can seem overwhelming, and may threaten to destroy the victim’s financial world. On the other hand, if the victim jumps at the first settlement offer he or she receives to alleviate this pressure, that offer is probably for significantly less than the true cost of the injury.
If you recently suffered a serious injury and plan to file a personal injury claim to cover your losses, you must carefully consider all the areas of impact for the injury and think about your long-term needs and priorities. A strong strategy not only protects your interests, it alleviates many of the unfair pressures bearing down on you.
Any insurer facing a serious injury claim wants to keep the payout as low as possible, because they are all businesses with bottom lines to consider, and they find ways to avoid paying out where they can. However you may feel about this ethically, it is generally legal, but not a practice you have to accept.
A settlement offer is just that — an offer. You do not have to accept an offer if it does not truly address your needs fairly. Be sure that you fully understand how long your recovery may take and the ongoing needs your injury may create as you heal. If you accept too low a settlement offer, you may end up running out of compensation before you fully heal. Don’t allow an insurer to push a low settlement on you because you need to pay hospital bills. In many cases, hospitals negotiate with patients or attorneys representing patients to allow flexibility in payment for this very reason.
in many instances of severe injury, the victim never regains full function. In your case, this may mean loss of mobility, or may significantly impact your ability to do your work. Always look carefully at the long-term impact of any injury and include loss of function and its affects on your future income or ongoing needs in your claim.
Not all losses of function necessitate similar compensation, so take special care to document all the effects of the loss.
Your future comfort and recovery depend on a strong claim that fully demonstrates your suffering and losses. Be mindful to use all your resources to keep your rights and future secure with a strong claim.
