7 Things to Check Before Accepting a Personal Injury Settlement

When you’ve been injured in a car accident, slip, and fall, construction accident, or any other type of personal injury case, you and your attorney need to have a clear understanding of what your settlement will be. Before you sign up on the dotted line, here are seven things that you should ensure have been addressed.

Have you reached maximum medical improvement?

When you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI), it means that your doctor has determined that your physical condition has healed as much as it can, and there is no more treatment available for you. This does not mean that you are fully recovered from your injuries, but it does mean that your condition will not improve much more than it already has.

If you have reached MMI and continue to receive treatment, it could affect the amount of money offered by the other party’s insurance provider. Your attorney should be able to provide an estimated amount of time until MMI occurs based on the results of your physical therapy and other treatments.

Are you confident in your diagnosis?

If you were hurt in an accident and want to sue the other party, then it is important that you have confidence in your diagnosis by an independent doctor or specialist who is not affiliated with either party. If there is any doubt about your injuries or their severity, then you should consider getting another opinion before accepting a settlement.

Have you considered all the ways the injury could affect your future?

It’s easy to be focused on your current pain and suffering when seeking compensation. However, you should also think about how the injury could affect your future. For example, if you get hit by a car while riding your bike and break your leg, it will take time to recover from the physical therapy required for the injury and surgery. And during that time, you may not be able to work or perform daily activities like driving or cooking.

What will happen if your injuries leave you unable to work?

The terms of the settlement should specify whether you’ll be paid weekly or monthly until your injuries heal and whether that payment will continue indefinitely if your injuries never completely go away. Some settlements also include an amount representing medical bills that have already been paid, while others don’t include any medical reimbursement at all. If there are no provisions for paying medical bills after an injury has healed, it might be worth asking for one so that you’re not stuck with thousands of dollars in medical debts if your injuries persist indefinitely or reoccur years later.

Do you need to consult a professional regarding assets and income?

If you’ve sustained an injury that affects your ability to earn money in the future, then consulting a financial professional may be necessary. Personal injury attorneys will be able to help you determine how much compensation your case is worth, but they may not know what’s best for your situation. If your injury has affected your ability to work or if it will affect your ability in the future, then speaking with someone who has experience with these matters may be beneficial.

Will you need ongoing medical care after the settlement?

You should have a full understanding of all medical expenses that will be covered by the settlement and any that will not. The money you receive should cover all your medical bills, including those for ongoing treatment or therapy. If your injuries don’t require ongoing medical care, for example, if you suffered a minor injury in a car accident then this shouldn’t be an issue. But if the accident left you with lifelong health problems, then you might want to seek out further advice from an attorney or financial adviser before accepting any settlement offer.

Will this settlement cover all of your losses?

When calculating the value of your claim, it’s important to consider all of your losses including lost time from work, loss of earning capacity, and pain and suffering damages. In some cases, it may be beneficial to negotiate for a higher settlement amount than what was originally offered so that you can cover these costs and still receive fair compensation for your injuries.

Sometimes it’s better to get a second opinion. If you’re not sure whether you should accept a personal injury settlement, talk to an attorney for more information about the law in your area. You can contact them with specific questions about what you should look for before accepting a personal injury settlement.