What Should You Do If You Get Offered Money After An Accident?
Michael Babboni
Personal Injury
In the unfortunate event that you get involved in an accident that results in your injury, you may find yourself in a situation where you know that you were clearly not at fault. In some cases, it may be very clear to everyone, including multiple witnesses, that you are in the clear and that the other party is responsible for the injuries that you now have to recover from, or, worse yet, learn to live with.Sometimes in these situations, you may get a surprising and responsive amount of attention from insurance adjustors who reassure you that what happened was terrible, and that you deserve some financial compensation for your trouble. They may even make an offering of money, on the spot, that can address your issues, and all you have to do is sign a document that they present to you and the money is yours.
You should not sign this document. ESPECIALLY if you haven’t spoken to a St. Pete lawyer about whether or not you have a case.
Nipping A Lawsuit In The Bud
If you are approached by an insurance adjustor with an offer of money immediately after accident, the sad truth is that this is probably not an action of concern for your well-being, and an act of financial generosity that is trying to help you get through a difficult time.
In reality, you are being treated to a very deliberate calculation. People in the background have “crunched numbers” and arrived at the conclusion that whatever they are offering you is cheaper than what they would have to pay in the event that you sought damages in a personal injury lawsuit.
The document that you would be required to sign in order to receive the money they are offering would bar you from ever being able to take legal action against whomever it was that injured you. This means that if, at some point, you receive word that your diagnosis is far more serious than you thought it was, or that your injuries are permanent, and you may no longer be able to hold down your job, you have literally signed away your right to get the actual financial compensation you rightfully deserve due to someone else’s actions.
Don’t Let This Happen To You
This is why, unless the word is coming from someone offering to be your attorney, you should never seriously entertain—let alone accept—any offers of financial compensation being presented to you, especially if these offers are coming from an insurance representative acting on the interests of another party. The fact that they are offering you this money now means they are hoping to prevent you from getting more in the future, and their own calculations have decided you get considerably more from a lawsuit.
When you’ve been injured and you know that someone else was responsible, get good legal representation as quickly as you can. A good St. Pete lawyer that specializes in personal injury can be your advocate and first line of defense against people that are trying to make sure you don’t get the financial compensation that rightfully belongs to you.