When facing piles of medical bills for injuries after a car accident, you may be tempted to accept the first settlement offer you receive from the insurance company. However, fair compensation that will cover all of your medical bills—not just now, but in the future—is critical to your recovery. Deciding how much you will need is simply too important to leave up to the discretion of insurance company adjusters whose objective is to pay you as little as possible. Instead, you need an experienced car accident attorney to protect your interests. You should discuss your case with an attorney who can evaluate your entitlement to damages and review any insurance settlement offer before accepting it. Because the legal team at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers specializes in dealing with car accident cases, we can help ensure that you are fully compensated for your injuries.
A Choice No-Fault Car Insurance State
Car insurance law in Pennsylvania is unique to Pennsylvania, and can be complicated. Pennsylvania is a choice no-fault car insurance state, which means that you can choose the type of coverage you want to purchase. If you carry a traditional policy, which requires the driver at fault to pay all losses, your car accident claim will process through the negligent driver’s insurance company. This type of policy may allow recovery of damages for your pain and suffering. A traditional policy, while more expensive than a no-fault policy, covers your losses no matter who caused the accident. However, these policies typically pay only for financial losses, not for damages for pain and suffering, unless the accident involved extremely serious and traumatic injuries.
Regardless of which kind of coverage you carry, you should consult with a dedicated car accident lawyer to make sure the insurance company offers to pay for everything your policy entitles you to recover. When you’ve been hurt, you shouldn’t have to face the insurance company alone. Even minor car accidents can be costly and it can take a long time to fully recover both physically and financially. A knowledgeable car accident attorney can fight for your rights and handle negotiations with the insurance company to maximize your settlement, while you can focus on your recovery. At The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers in Philadelphia, our committed car accident lawyers have the experience, skill, and determination to carefully assess your unique claim and recover the compensation to which you’re entitled.
Car Insurance Companies: The Hard Truth
While you’re naturally overwhelmed after a car accident, don’t be lulled into accepting whatever the insurance company offers you. That’s rarely the best choice. Insurance companies are in business to make profit, just like other businesses. Often insurance companies use less than scrupulous methods, like making low-ball offers when you desperately need money to pay rapidly mounting medical bills. Insurance companies may also unreasonably delay processing your claim; deny your claim outright and argue you failed to provide adequate documentation or meet deadlines; or send you minimal payouts to induce you to accept without realizing it can cut off your right to a fair settlement. Don’t let an insurance company take advantage of you when you’ve been hurt. Have an experienced car accident attorney carefully analyze your situation and evaluate any insurance settlement offer under your particular circumstances.
Your Damages
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you’ve most likely accrued significant medical expenses. Although these may vary with the nature of your injuries, your recoverable costs may include:
- Emergency transportation from the accident scene
- Treatment in the emergency room
- Surgery and aftercare
- Doctor, specialist, and therapist appointments and treatment
- Prescription medications
- Ongoing treatment and therapy
- Adaptive medical devices
- Home adaptations
- Ongoing healthcare
While your medical expenses may well be extensive, they are likely not your only losses. If you’ve been injured in an accident, you’ve probably also lost wages and may even experience diminished earning potential. A change in your ability to work can cause especially difficult consequences if you invested your whole life in a career that you are no longer able to do. Having the right attorney who understands these devastating impacts can help you recover and move on with your life despite these challenges.
Pain and Suffering
Although car accidents cause significant financial losses, the pain and suffering you’ve endured should never be discounted. The trauma of being hurt by someone else’s negligence in the blink of an eye is almost impossible to quantify. While no dollar amount can ever return you to your pre-accident self, full and just compensation including amounts for your pain and suffering can help you better navigate toward complete recovery.
Documenting Your Damages
When an insurance company has made a settlement offer, it may seem simplest just to take the offer and try to put your accident behind you. It’s important to remember, however, that the damages emanating from a car accident may be complex and difficult to assess. Several types of documentation may help support your claim for full compensation:
- Records of all doctor, specialist, and therapist appointments
- Records of all prescription medications
- Instructions from doctors, specialists, and therapists
- Written referrals to specialists and therapists
- Medical reports
- Records of all medical procedures
- Notes from any medical professionals to your employer
- Records of any lost wages or alterations in your employment
By compiling all relevant data and records related to your injuries, you’ll provide support that your experienced car accident attorney can use quantify how much you deserve to recover and ensure that your insurance settlement is both comprehensive and just.
Protecting Your Claim
If the insurance company has offered you a settlement, don’t let them rush you into accepting it before you’ve even had time to fully recognize the extent of your damages. A car accident attorney will help you better assess your total damages now, as well as those you may experience in the future. With a car accident lawyer’s guidance, you’ll feel more confident and better prepared throughout this often-stressful process. An attorney will help ensure that you avoid the all-too-common mistake of accepting an inadequate settlement offer.
If the Insurance Company Has Made You a Settlement Offer, Consult With an Experienced Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Today
The aftermath of a car accident is stressful and complicated. Remember not to jump at the first offer the insurance company makes. While this impulse is understandable, you need a skilled attorney to protect you and fight for your rights. The experienced car accident attorneys at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers in Philadelphia have the knowledge and perseverance to aggressively advocate for the compensation you deserve. Our dedicated legal team is here to help you recover from being hurt in an accident. Please contact or call us at 215-825-5183 today.