Car Accident: Don't Rush To Settle

San Diego, CAIf you have been involved in a car accident one of the first things you likely worried about was how you would cover your medical bills and other expenses. After all, hospital stays, medication and physical therapy are not cheap and, if your injuries were severe enough, you probably missed at least some workdays recovering from your accident. Unfortunately, insurance companies know that this a concern for accident victims, so they come in with offers of a settlement right away, expecting that most people, desperate to pay their medical bills, will accept the offer.

However, as many people who have been in a car accident will tell you, the offer is usually far too low. It may cover your current expenses, but what if you need pain medication 10 years down the road? Some injuries are not noticeable for a year or even two down the road, when life has gotten somewhat back to normal. At the very least, it may not be apparent for a year or two that your injuries will never fully heal and you may be reliant on some form of medical care for the rest of your life.

There are other things to consider, as well, when determining an appropriate amount of money for a settlement. Chronic pain injuries may shorten your working life. You may be young and able to deal with the pain now, but what about after ten years of chronic pain? It could be that you will have to find different employment, or you may have to retire early from your job because of your injuries.

You also cannot forget about your quality of life. Chronic pain can wreak havoc your life, making even the most inane tasks seem unbearable. The pain can cause problems with sleep—both getting to sleep and staying asleep—leading to further physical and emotional problems. Playing with your children may become painful or even impossible, depending on your injuries.

Of course, all of this can lead to emotional distress, still related to the car accident. Many people who were involved in car accidents already have difficulty getting back into a motor vehicle, but there are other emotional consequences of car accidents. Dealing with chronic pain day after day can lead to depression, as can a lack of sleep. Constant pain can also trigger mood swings and emotional reactions to seemingly minor events. Chances are, the insurance company does not take this into account when determining a settlement amount after your car accident.

This is why more people are turning to lawsuits following their car accidents. They understand that there is more to an injury than a broken bone or torn muscle. There is the chronic pain, the emotional toll and the decrease in quality of life that must all be considered when agreeing to a settlement. These people also understand that insurance companies do not generally take any of that into account, unless a lawyer pressures them to.

If you are unsure about whether or not to contact a lawyer regarding your car accident, ask yourself this: Is it in the insurance company's best interests to ensure I get the full amount of money I am entitled to? A lot of the time, if not all the time, the answer is no. Then, ask people who agreed to settle with an insurance company if they feel they did the right thing and many will tell you, "No." There were too many expenses that the insurance company did not take into account when offering a settlement amount, and now those people are stuck paying for their car accident injuries.

If you have been in a car accident, do not agree to settle with an insurance company without first speaking to a lawyer. An experienced lawyer can help to ensure you receive the compensation you are entitled to.