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When you have been injured, and you are dealing with medical appointments, missed work, and mounting bills, an early settlement offer from the insurance company can feel like relief. A number is on the table. The situation has a potential ending. That sense of resolution is exactly what the insurance company is counting on, and accepting that offer before speaking with a personal injury attorney may be one of the costliest decisions you ever make because there is a very good chance that the insurance company knows it hasn’t offered you a fair amount upfront.
Insurance Companies Move Fast for a Reason
Insurance adjusters are trained professionals whose job is to close claims as quickly and cheaply as possible. The faster they can get you to sign, the less they pay and the less you receive. Those early offers are almost always made before the full picture of your injuries has emerged. Soft tissue damage, herniated discs, traumatic brain injuries, and other serious conditions can take weeks or months to fully reveal themselves. And once you sign a settlement release, no new symptoms, no additional diagnoses, and no future surgeries will entitle you to anything more. That signature is permanent, and it ends your case permanently.
What a Full & Fair Settlement Should Actually Cover
The first offer from an insurance company rarely accounts for everything an injured person should be able to demand for their recovery.
A fair settlement reflects the true and complete impact of your injuries, past, present, and future, such as:
- Medical expenses already incurred, such as emergency care, hospitalization, and surgery
- Future medical costs for ongoing treatment, therapy, or rehabilitation
- Lost wages for time already missed from work
- Reduced earning capacity if your injuries affect your ability to work long-term
- Pain and suffering for the physical toll of your injuries
- Emotional distress and the psychological impact of the accident and recovery
When an insurance company sends a first offer quickly, it is almost certain that several of these categories have been ignored or significantly undervalued. Accepting without legal review means accepting a version of your case that the insurance company wrote for you, which is not likely to reflect what you have actually been through.
Once You Sign, There Is No Going Back
When you accept a personal injury settlement and sign the accompanying release, you permanently surrender your right to any further compensation for that incident. It does not matter if your condition worsens. It does not matter if surgery becomes necessary that was not anticipated when you signed. It does not matter if your earning capacity turns out to be more seriously affected than it first appeared. The release is final and binding.
Insurance companies know this. It is why they often push for a quick resolution before you fully understand the scope of your injuries, and before you have spoken with an attorney who can tell you what your case could really be worth.
Before You Sign, Talk to an Attorney – Every Time
At the Law Office of Seni Popat, P.C., if you hire our legal team early, we can review your case thoroughly before you respond to any offer from the insurance company. Initial consultations are always free, and we work on a contingency fee basis, so there is very little financial risk to you if you want to pursue a claim with our team.
We have more than 15 years of courtroom experience and a record of over $30 million recovered for injured New Yorkers across all sorts of personal injury case types. Insurance companies know which firms will push back and which ones will settle for less. Our track record sends a clear message, and so does our willingness to take a case to trial when the offer on the table falls short of what our client deserves.
If you have received a settlement offer from an insurance company after you were in an accident, call the Law Office of Seni Popat, P.C. at (718) 340-3385 before you sign anything. We are available 24/7.
