In case that you had a car accident, there are two solutions that you can make, which is to try and make a settlement deal, or go for a trial process. In most cases, people will choose the first option since it is easier and faster to complete. Both sides will make an agreement over who is responsible and how much money this side will have to pay to cover the damage made to the car, along with the medical expenses, injuries, lost wages, and more.
However, making the right agreement is not always that simple. In case that you have a problem with the other side which has different claims from yours, the case must be processed at court. There is no reason to accept a lower offer than you think if you are sure that you are asking for the right one. Still, if you don’t have enough experience in this area, the best solution is to hire an expert like Demas Law Group
Moreover, it is important to pay attention to different details of the accident and be sure that you are requesting for the right amount. Keep in mind that the other side might try to lower it and get the agreement more in its favor. Also, it can be too late if you make an agreement but miss some stuff that you realize afterward. Here are the important legal aspects of settlement deals.
1. You Cannot Make Any Additional Claims
One of the key features of this type of agreement is that it will remove any legal obligations from the person that agreed to these terms. That is a great thing since you can complete the process and not have to deal with the court. On the other side, the problem is when you miss some details. For example, the other side made a damage to your vehicle by breaking some traffic rule. You also faced injuries that required treatment in the hospital.
What most people will do in this case is to request for all expenses to be covered, like repair of the car, and medical expenses. However, if you complete the agreement and get a proper comp, but you realized that there were some other details that you could include and get even more money, it is now too late for that. That is the main reason to never rush with your claims and always be sure to contact an experience attorney who will help you create the right offer for the agreement.
2. What About Health Issues?
The situation with the claims related to your health condition is the same. If you were in rush and only asked for a simple report where you can show your injuries and then ask for a coverage for them and treatment, there might be some more complex issues that could show after some time.
For example, you hit your head, but the real consequences started to appear after one week. If you rushed to complete the settlement in a couple of days, you won’t be able to sue the other side or request it to pay you more money.
3. Always Read the Details
The regulations can be quite different from state to state. For example, it is a common practice that insurance companies will include the other party in the agreement where you won’t be able to make another claim after this process is over.
Besides that, these companies can create forms according to their needs, but you might have the right to make some changes. Still, it will be too late if you realize that after already signing the papers and getting a coverage.
As we already mentioned, the key is to be more patient and never rush with this process. There are many tricks that other sides might try to use and lower the amount of coverage. Also, you might miss a chance to sue more people and get even more money if someone caused an accident by reckless driving or avoiding road signs.
Never Choose Settlement At Any Cost
A lot of people are making the same mistake where they think that agreeing on any terms is still a better solution than processing the case at court since it is time-consuming and complicated. Creating the right settlement will be more difficult when the accident is more serious. For example, when there are more people included, and there are people with serious injuries.
While there is still a chance for an agreement, you should speak to your lawyer to see if other sides are offering a reasonable amount. If that is not the case, you should start the process at the court where you will use different reports and proofs to secure the right amount of money.
In both cases, you should always follow the steps after facing a car accident, which is to make sure that everyone is safe, call the emergency service, and then continue by calling a lawyer and start collecting evidence like photos, parts, and looking for people who can be your witnesses.
Last Words
As you can see, there are some important downsides of settlement to know about and keep in mind if you face a car accident. This can be considered as benefit as well, because it will prevent people from making some additional and false accusation.
However, missing some details and signing an agreement will prevent you from making any additional requests and you won’t be able to file a successful lawsuit as well. The best solution to never face such a problem is to be focused when you are creating an agreement and never rush.
Visit a well-known doctor that will provide a full medical exam and check if there are no any long-term issues that will appear after some time. Also, call an expert who will evaluate the whole case and check who is responsible and what laws are on your side so you can add the right amount in the agreement.
