Instead of taking an injury case to trial, injured victims in CT can agree to receive a determined payment from the defendant; this payment is a settlement.

Suffering an injury from an accident that wasn't your fault can be a significantly traumatic event that burdens you and your loved ones with pain and stress that touches every aspect of your life. 

Settlement negotiations can be challenging to navigate. After suffering a personal injury by the fault of another person or entity, you have more than enough to worry about and recover from without getting lost in the legal process. 

Do not accept a settlement offer that is an insurance company's first. Carefully examine and calculate the full scope of your injury's financial responsibilities before you accept, including all types of medical bills and current and potential lost wages.  

Here is a look into the top considerations you should have when deciding whether or not you should accept an injury settlement in CT. 

The Right To Reject

When you're traumatized, highly stressed, and in physical pain, it seems easy to accept the first offer that comes your way. Many personal injury victims feel the pressure of immediate expenses and agree to receive the initial check an insurance company presents to them. 

These companies take advantage of that vulnerable state and offer low, unfair settlements first, knowing that once a plaintiff accepts, they cannot return later for more. 

The first thing to be mindful of when weighing a settlement agreement is that you have the right to reject the first offer and negotiate for a fair payment before you accept a settlement offer.

Know the Scope of Medical Bills

One of the reasons why a defendant's insurance company wants to settle quickly is that it doesn't want to allow enough time for you to understand or estimate the future costs of your injury fully. 

Depending on the injury's severity, you could face months or even years of medical treatment and therapy to recover or maintain pain management. It's critical to have comprehensive discussions with your care team about the extent of medical treatment you're looking at before accepting an offer.

Aside from surgery and physical therapy bills, you must also consider medication or equipment costs. Often medical teams prescribe transportation or at-home care to accident victims. All of this comes at a cost. 

And, if you're experiencing emotional or psychological pain and suffering from the accident, you must include counseling expenses. 

Calculate Lost Wages

Lost wages are one of the most detrimental expenses that come with suffering personal injury. Examining the income you've lost due to the injury is a vital determining factor in a settlement agreement. 

You need to include calculations for current and future lost wages. Consider any time you've had to take off work to recover from your injury and any additional time you'll have to take off in the future. This amount should include not just physical recovery but mental and emotional as well.

Salary, tips, bonuses, overtime pay, company extras, and the value of sick and vacation days all fall within the wages category. You need to provide comprehensive documentation that verifies lost wages. Self-employment complicates the issue, but it still qualifies you for compensation.

Another expense to consider is childcare if you have young children in the home. If your injury prevents you from providing the childcare your family requires, you must calculate that cost, too.

Settlement Versus Trial

You have the right to pursue damages through the civil court system, and the court might grant you a higher financial award than you'd receive in a settlement. However, there are many pros to taking the settlement route. 

Reaching a settlement agreement is a much faster process than going through a trial, and it also costs less attorney and court fees. Additionally, civil trials are generally extremely stressful to endure. Accepting a settlement offer outside of court allows a victim to maintain privacy and control of the situation. 

Work With a Qualified Legal Team

Insurance companies notoriously intimidate and low-ball injury victims to protect their own pockets. Working with an experienced CT personal injury attorney who anticipates and maneuvers insurance company scare tactics takes a tremendous load off of victims and their loved ones while recovering from an accident. 

Legal professionals specializing in personal injury settlements are familiar with both insurance companies' processes and motivations and the extent of victims' financial, physical, and psychological hardships. Allowing a CT personal injury lawyer to advocate for you and your family raises your chances of receiving a fair settlement. 

Brandon J. Broderick, CT Personal Injury Lawyers

There is no law requiring you to have a lawyer when filing a personal injury claim after an accident. However, working with experienced CT personal injury attorneys can make all the difference in the outcome of your case. Why risk being unfairly compensated and not having recourse to fix it? When you hire a personal injury lawyer from our team, you pay nothing upfront. We work on contingent fees that are only collected if we win your case. If we don’t win, you don’t pay.

Contact Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law, for a free consultation. With our proven track record of success and our commitment to client care, our CT personal injury lawyers can turn your setback into a comeback.