What You Should Know Before Accepting a Settlement - St. Louis Auto Accident Attorney

Most auto accidents settlements are worked out before an auto accident case is even on the docket for trial. Typically, an agreement can be made between the plaintiff and the insurer during something called the litigation process where the parties negotiate a reasonable settlement amount.

However, there are times when an agreement cannot be met. And although a settlement is often preferable, it is imperative that if you are injured in an accident, you never sign any agreement without having a St. Louis auto accident attorney look it over to ensure that you are getting a fair settlement.

If you sign a settlement agreement, it essentially means that you can’t sue for injuries that arise later. So, although there are many advantages to settling a case before it has to go to trial, they don’t outweigh the necessity of being fairly compensated. You need to cover not just current injuries and damages, but also for any that can arise in the future. Before you sign anything, it is critical that you have someone representing your best interests and, that isn’t going to be the insurance company.

A car accident settlement agreement form is a document that a person who is injured signs that waive an insurance company’s responsibilities for anything more that arises in the future. It dismisses an insurer's liability going forward. Sometimes called a release or a waiver, the settlement agreement once signed, means that the plaintiff is no longer eligible to sue for anything more.

The most common type of settlement agreement is met when the insurer and the injured party settle on a monetary amount, and in exchange, the plaintiff agrees to absolve the insurer from any further liability in the case. There are specific things that you should always have completed before you even consider an agreement. First, you should make sure that all your medical treatment has been completed and that you are completely stable. That means taking into account that you may require treatment in the future.

Don’t ever sign a release form because you have mounting bills that you can’t pay and feel coerced into accepting the money. If you have a St. Louis auto accident attorney on your side, it will ensure that you aren’t making an impulsive decision without considering all aspects of the case. Once you sign the agreement, that is it. You typically can’t ever hold the insurer liable for anything that arises, which can leave you without funds for your medical care or on the hook for bills after the fact.

Only a qualified professional St. Louis auto accident attorney can walk you through the complexity of an agreement to ensure that you are fairly compensated. If the case does need to proceed, a St. Louis auto accident lawyer will handle it from start to finish and ensure that you have someone on your side. Your St. Louis personal injury lawyer will know whether you are being offered a fair settlement or not. If not, they will know how to escalate the case to get you what is rightfully yours.

Call (314) 361-4242 for a FREE case evaluation.