Should You Settle Your Personal Injury Claim?

You’re probably dealing with a lot in the aftermath of your car accident. The pain that’s been inflicted upon you might be unbearable, and the emotional turmoil you’ve been dealt can be difficult to cope with. As if that’s not enough, the financial losses you’re facing on account of medical expenses and lost wages might be overwhelming.

The good news is that you might be able to recover compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. Most of these cases settle well before they ever get to trial, though, and these offers can be tempting for those who need a quick infusion of cash. But before you accept a settlement offer, you need to carefully assess the facts of your case to figure out if you’re getting the best outcome possible.

How to Analyze a Settlement Offer

There are many factors that you need to take into account when looking at a settlement offer. Here are some of them:

• The value of your claim: You can’t tell if a settlement offer is appropriate unless you know what your claim is worth. Calculate your lost wages, medical expenses, and anticipated costs. Then do your best to figure out how much your pain and suffering is worth. This can be tough, but really consider how your injuries have affected your life.
• Know the strength of your case: When you’re looking at a settlement offer, you’re trying to determine if you should accept it or take your case to trial. While you might be able to secure more compensation by winning at trial, you can only win if you have the evidence needed to prove your claim. Therefore, you should thoroughly assess the evidence at hand to determine the likelihood of success at trial.
• Know about comparative fault: Michigan recognizes comparative fault, which means that your recovery can be reduced if you’re found to be partially at fault for the accident in question. If there’s evidence that you contributed to the wreck, then you need to take that into account when looking at your settlement offer.

Be Prepared to Aggressively Advocate for Your Interests

There’s a lot on the line in your personal injury case. That’s why it’s crucial that you put in the work on the front end of your case to ensure that you have the best possible chance of success. So, do your best to learn the law, properly apply it to your case, and make the strong legal arguments that you need.