Four Things to Ask Yourself Before Agreeing to a Personal Injury Settlement
Were you hurt in an accident in Southeast Texas? You have the right to seek compensation for your damages, including medical costs, wage loss, and pain and suffering. A personal injury settlement should properly cover your damages. Unfortunately, many insurers fight hard to get victims to accept less. Here, our Sugar Land personal injury attorney highlights four key questions that you need to ask yourself before taking a settlement from an insurance company in Texas.
Has My Injury Reached Maximum Medical Improvement?
You should not settle a personal injury case if you are still healing. Before accepting any settlement offer, ask yourself whether your condition has reached Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI). In Texas, MMI means your doctor believes your injury has healed as much as it reasonably will. Settling too early can lead to serious adverse financial consequences. If complications arise later, you generally cannot reopen the claim. Do not settle too early. You will not know all of your damages.
Do I Know How Much My Case is Actually Worth?
What is the true value of your personal injury claim? If you do not know it, you are not in a position to settle your personal injury case. You cannot evaluate a settlement offer until you understand the full value of your personal injury claim. This includes economic damages like medical bills and lost wages, along with non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. Valuing a personal injury claim can be challenging. It is something that should always be done by an experienced Texas personal injury attorney.
Does the Settlement Require Me to Accept Partial Responsibility for the Accident?
We live in a fault-based personal injury state. Under Texas law (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. § 33.001), a modified comparative negligence standard applies to these claims. Some Texas insurance settlement agreements include language suggesting that you share blame for the accident. Even a small admission of fault can significantly reduce your compensation under the state’s modified comparative negligence rule. Make sure you understand whether or not the settlement offer includes any level of blame being assigned to you as part of the agreement.
Have I Tried to Negotiate for Additional Financial Compensation?
Most initial settlement offers are lower than what your case may be worth. Do not assume the insurer’s first proposal is final. You have the right to negotiate, and in Texas, you are not obligated to accept any offer that fails to meet your needs. Insurance companies are notoriously aggressive. You do not have to take them on alone. A top-rated Texas personal injury lawyer can review your case, answer your questions, and help you negotiate for the maximum financial compensation.
Contact Our Sugar Land Personal Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation
At Henrietta Ezeoke Law Firm, our Sugar Land personal injury attorney has the knowledge, skills, and legal expertise that you can trust. If you have any questions or concerns about personal injury law, please do not hesitate to give us a call now or contact us online for your free case review. Our firm handles personal injury cases in Sugar Land, Houston, and throughout Southeast Texas.
Source:
statutes.capitol.texas.gov/docs/cp/htm/cp.33.htm
