Following a serious accident, such as an auto accident or a construction accident, most often what the victim wants most is for their life to return to normalcy. They want to be able to go back to their jobs, spend time with their loved ones, and not have to worry about their traumatic injuries with every other thought. One of the biggest obstacles to this can be a lengthy settlement process or court case. Insurance companies know this, and will try to use it to their advantage. They do this by offering a settlement immediately following the accident to the injured party, leveraging the victim’s desire for a quick resolution into a much lower dollar amount than the victim’s injuries are actually worth. However, a quick settlement such as this is almost never to the injured party’s benefit, and there are several important reasons not to accept this kind of initial offer.
Rights in a Mercer County Personal Injury Case
One of the most important reasons to pursue a more favorable long-term settlement is that it is extremely difficult for doctors to understand the full extent of your injuries immediately following your accident. Areas like the back, neck, and spine are commonly affected in accidents, and it takes time to gauge the extent of damage done to these critical areas of the body. These kinds of injuries can have severe, long term impacts on the victim’s life and often require extensive treatment and therapy to heal, sometimes even surgery. It is critical that you understand the full extent of your injuries and what it will take to recover before accepting remuneration for your accident.
Each person’s body responds differently to treatment. Even once the full extent of injury has been determined, there is never one clear path to recovery. Where one person might respond well to physical therapy and holistic healing, others may require surgery and powerful medicines. Doctors often try less invasive methods initially, and only move to riskier, more invasive methods once it has been determined that they are actually necessary. This process takes time, and thus an accident victim may undergo various forms of treatment until an effective solution is found.
Who Pays the Long Term Medical Bills in a Trenton Injury Case?
Another reason to be patient when settling your personal injury case is understanding the full long term impact of your injuries. It can take time to know whether your ability to do your job or perform necessary daily functions has been impaired. If, as a result of your accident, you are forced to change jobs to something less physically demanding but which pays a lower wage, you are entitled to compensation for the loss of future earnings. Equally if you are unable to participate in past-times and activities you enjoyed prior to your accident you are entitled to compensation. Again, it may take some time to determine the extent to which your life has been affected by your injuries, and it is important to understand this fully when seeking remuneration.
Once you accept a settlement from the insurance company, you give up the right to pursue additional damages for your injury. Insurance companies know how traumatic an experience an injury settlement process can be for families, and will use this to their advantage, offering quick a quick resolution in exchange for a much lower monetary amount than you are entitled to. This is why having an experienced personal injury lawyer by your side can be an invaluable asset. An attorney who has worked similar cases can recognize the types of injuries that take time to fully manifest, and have the patience to see the process through from beginning to end. A recent study showed that, even after attorney’s fees, the net recovery to an injury victim is three times higher when represented by counsel than when settling directly with the insurance company.
Know your rights if you have been injured in Mercer County or the surrounding area
If you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury of any kind including bicycle and pedestrian accidents, ladder and scaffolding accidents, truck accidents, premises liability, and product liability, the lawyers at Cohen & Riechelson are here to provide you with the advice and advocacy you need. Our attorneys are experienced advocates for injury victims throughout Mercer County and Middlesex County and across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. We will give you the time and attention you deserve, helping you pursue maximum compensation for your losses.
For more information or to schedule a free initial consultation with one of our lawyers, please contact us by telephone or online today.
