Should I accept the initial settlement offer from an insurance company?

After a catastrophic event, whether it be a workplace accident, serious injury, motor vehicle accident, injury on another’s property or severe harm from a defective or dangerous product, you likely will hear from the at-fault person’s insurance company soon after.

 
As you take care of the aftermath of the accident, this settlement offer adds extra confusion. The reality is, this initial settlement offer from the insurance company will only be a fraction of the full extent of the damages you suffered.

When assessing the full cost of the accident, you need to think about several questions:

These factors, along with expenses such as your initial emergency medical care and ongoing medical treatment, begin to show a better picture of how your serious injury truly impacted you.

You should never accept a settlement without first consulting with an attorney. The insurance company contacts you right after the injury as a business strategy. The lowball settlement offer will not cover the extent of your financial burden.

The insurance company will hold you to any sort of agreement to the offer even if you have not signed a release or deposited the check, so do not accept it in any way, even verbally.