You mustn’t accept the first settlement offer you receive after a crash. Before you agree to a payout, you must fully understand the scope of your losses. Many insurance companies want to pay you as little as possible, and their initial offer will only cover your initial expenses, such as emergency room bills and short-term lost income. However, you may experience more significant losses as time passes.
To get more money from a car accident settlement that fully covers your injuries and damages, you will want to document your short- and long-term losses properly and build a solid claim. Working with a Boca Raton car accident lawyer can make this process easier. They will manage your injury claim while you focus on healing.
Understanding the Full Extent of Your Damages Is Key to a Fair Payout
When you are in a car accident and suffer severe injuries, you will likely sustain losses beyond the short term. Your emergency medical care and ambulance transportation could only be the beginning of your medical bills. Moreover, the first days you missed at work might not be the only ones. In addition, you could have:
- Ongoing medical treatment, care, and support
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Permanent injuries
- Future lost earnings if you cannot return to your previous job
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Recognizing these damages early and gathering evidence to support them is crucial to avoid settling for less than you deserve. Recognizing these damages early and gathering evidence to support them is crucial to avoid settling for less than you deserve. Florida’s no-fault laws allow you to step outside this system and seek fault-based compensation, including intangible losses, if you have serious injuries.
What Steps Should I Take to Recover More Money in My Car Accident Case?
Recovering more money for your car accident requires compelling evidence to document as many expenses and losses as possible. Here are some steps you should take to uncover this evidence.
Gather Medical Documentation
Medical evidence plays a crucial role in insurance settlement negotiations. You will need medical records to document:
- Your initial diagnosis
- All follow-up care and referrals
- Evaluations from each specialist you see
- Future treatment plans
- Documentation of permanent limitations or disabilities
- Expert testimony explaining your prognosis and estimating your future care needs
Document Lost Income and Reduced Earning Capacity
Did you miss work because of your injuries? You can recover lost wages, benefits, retirement contributions, and more.
Your long-term prognosis will also affect your future earning capacity. You could seek compensation if your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job, limit your hours, or force you into a lower-paying role. To document your lost income and reduced earning ability, you might need to collect:
- Pay stubs and tax returns
- Employer statements confirming missed work
- Medical assessments regarding work restrictions
- Expert testimony from medical, vocational, or economic experts
Track All Related Expenses
It is important to remember that your medical bills and lost income are not the only expenses and losses you experience because of a crash. You might have options for recovering additional costs, such as the following:
- Prescription medications
- Mobility or assistive devices
- Home modifications for disability access
- Transportation costs for medical appointments
- In-home care and support
Keep all receipts and invoices for any relevant expenses. They will document your losses and support your negotiations for a better payout.
Do Not Settle Too Early Just to Close the Case
You must remain patient during this process. Do not allow an early lowball offer to tempt you. Moreover, don’t discuss a payout before the full extent of your injuries is known. These are some of the most typical reasons why victims settle for less than they deserve. Instead, wait until you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI) or better understand your future care needs before negotiations begin.
Settling before you understand your prognosis could result in not recovering the money you need to pay for future surgeries, rehabilitation, or accommodations for lasting injuries. Once you agree to a settlement, that is it. You cannot reopen the case to recover more money, even if you learn about additional expenses.
Working With a Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You Get Fair Compensation
Working with a personal injury lawyer can protect your rights and access to a fair payout. Your attorney will understand that your case requires proving the complete financial, physical, and emotional toll of your injuries.
A car accident lawyer can document your injuries, gather evidence of your long-term losses, call in experts, and navigate your state’s insurance and liability laws. Your attorney will develop a robust case that accounts for all your accident-related damages. They will also protect you from insurance company tactics that might reduce your claim’s value.
If your loved one died in a crash, a wrongful death lawyer will help you identify the entire range of costs and losses you could receive. You do not want to leave a lot of money on the table when your family’s financial future depends on it.
Protect Your Rights by Meeting the Time Limits for Filing a Lawsuit
Each state sets a deadline for filing a lawsuit. Missing this deadline could severely affect your ability to recover fair compensation. For example, Florida Statutes § 95.11 provides injured victims two years from the accident date to file a lawsuit based on their severe injuries. Meanwhile, Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 260 § 2A gives you three years to file suit.
Failing to act within the statute of limitations could bar you from recovering compensation, no matter how severe your injuries. That’s why you want an attorney on your side after a crash. They will protect your rights and ensure you meet filing deadlines.
Talk to Our Car Accident Legal Team About Your Case for Free
GED Lawyers provides free consultations for crash victims. You can review our case results and learn how we’ve recovered more than $26 million for our clients. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you get more money from a car accident settlement that fully accounts for all your losses.
