Car Accident Settlement Offers

Answer:

If someone tells me that they were involved in a car accident and sustained a serious injury, and the at-fault driver’s insurance company sent them a check for a small amount of money, maybe $1,000 or less with a release to sign, the first thing I tell them is you should never sign a release. You should never settle a case with an insurance company until you’ve had an opportunity to meet with a lawyer and discuss what your rights are and understand some very important things that insurance company may not have disclosed to you. For example, what are the at-fault party’s policy limits, the insurance policy limits? If I sign a release and I accept the money that they’re sending to me, will that prevent me from filing an additional claim against this person or will it even prevent me from filing a claim against my own insurance company for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage?

Those are all really important questions that we need to advise you about before you accept a modest amount from an insurance company. The reason that insurance company is sending you that check is they want a quick settlement. They want to save money. Saving money is not in your best interest, however.

It’s in your best interest to make sure that you, in fact, receive the compensation that you deserve for all of your injuries and damages, the ones that you know about now and the ones that may occur to you in the future. If you have any questions, if an insurance company has sent you a check for a modest amount of money and they want you to sign a release, please pick up the phone and give us a call here at Perenich Law Injury Attorneys. We’re here to answer your questions free of charge so that you can make the best decision for you and your family.