You want your life to get back to normal as soon as possible. Right now, however, your life is full of pain and uncertainty. You must take care of your car accident injuries rather than work or go about your regular activities. The medical bills are adding up while you are unable to earn an income. You are working with your doctors to resolve your medical issues, but what about your financial issues? How will your Kansas City car accident case end?
Kansas City Car Accident Settlements
Soon after your car crash, an insurance adjuster may contact you to propose a settlement. Often, this settlement offer is low, and the insurance company is hoping that you jump at it to resolve your claim.
We encourage you to wait.
Once you agree to a car accident settlement, the settlement amount is all of the compensation you will ever receive for your car crash injuries. In most cases, you cannot pursue additional compensation from the insurance company or the defendant in your car crash case. Therefore, while you want to put your accident case behind you and resolve it as quickly as possible, you don’t want to settle for less than you deserve when you could get more by negotiating with the insurance company or going to court.
The First Settlement Offer Usually Isn’t the Final Settlement Offer
An experienced car accident injury lawyer can negotiate with the insurance company. Sometimes, the insurance company is willing to consider the evidence and legal arguments, and sometimes they are unwilling to negotiate. Ultimately, your settlement offer will depend on:
- The strength of the evidence. Evidence such as medical records, photos, witness statements, the police report, and more may convince the insurance company that it is better to settle the case than to risk being ordered to pay more by a judge.
- The extent of your injuries. Often, you won’t know the full extent of your injuries right after your car crash. Instead, you may need to wait to settle your case until you have reached the point of maximum medical improvement. Then, you will have bills to prove the value of your past medical costs, and your doctors can provide accurate information about your continued medical needs.
- The value of your injuries. The value of your car accident case depends on many factors, including the extent of your injuries, whether you had any permanent injuries or disfigurement, the time you lost from work, the extent of property damage, and any other costs related to your accident.
- Whether the other side is willing to negotiate in good faith. A reasonable settlement can only be reached if the insurance company is willing to negotiate.
Car accident settlements are often confidential and allow you to avoid the expense, time, and unpredictability of going to court.
Should You Accept a Car Crash Settlement?
Our Kansas City car accident attorneys will thoroughly investigate every aspect of your case, identify a fair settlement, and talk to you about the pros and cons of accepting a settlement offer. If a fair settlement can’t be reached, we won’t hesitate to go to trial to get you the recovery you deserve.
You deserve compensation for all of your past and future car accident damages, including:
- Healthcare costs
- Lost income
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Physical pain
- Emotional suffering
Sometimes the insurance company will offer a fair settlement, and we can resolve your case before trial. Other times, we need to go to court to protect your rights. Either way, you can be confident that our experienced Kansas City car accident lawyers will create a sound legal strategy to get you the compensation you deserve.
Contact us today by phone, chat, or our online contact form to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. Let’s discuss your rights and possible recovery in plain English so that you can begin to resolve your car crash case.
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