If you’ve been seriously injured in an accident caused by someone else, securing the highest possible injury settlement is crucial. This compensation helps cover medical expenses, lost wages, and other financial burdens while allowing you to focus on recovery. Fortunately, you can take action in several ways to increase the value of your personal injury settlement.
A personal injury settlement is a financial agreement between an injury victim (plaintiff) and the at-fault party’s insurance company or legal representatives. This compensation is meant to cover medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages resulting from the accident. Understanding what your claim is worth and how to maximize it can make a significant difference in your financial recovery.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to maximize your settlement and protect your rights. Here’s what you need to know:
If you hope to maximize your injury settlement, you must receive medical attention immediately after your accident. Documenting your injuries is critical at this point, as it will show that the accident in question directly caused her injuries.
If you delay treatment, the defense may argue that your injuries weren’t caused by the accident or that they aren’t as severe as you claim.
Additionally, under Illinois’ comparative negligence law (735 ILCS 5/2-1116), your compensation can be reduced if you’re found partially at fault. Insurance companies may try to argue that delaying medical care worsened your condition to minimize your payout.
Insurance companies are notorious for making insultingly low initial offers. You are under no obligation to accept an insurance company’s offer. The insurance company makes low offers because they do not want to pay out the total value of your claim. Doing so would cost them money.
Do not accept an insurance company’s offer without discussing it with an experienced Chicago car accident lawyer if you want to get the most out of your claim. Instead, your personal injury attorney can negotiate on your behalf to ensure that you are not taken advantage of.
Another way to get the most out of your injury settlement is by retaining copies of your employment records. This could include:
This way, you can recover the full amount of compensation you lost by being unable to work. In addition to lost wages, you may be eligible for future earnings loss, including salary increases, bonuses, and retirement contributions you would have earned if not for your injuries.
Unfortunately, one of the biggest mistakes people make is trusting the insurance company to help them. Insurance companies lose money by paying out on claims. It is in their best interest to do everything possible to reduce or deny claims.
To avoid jeopardizing your settlement:
Many injury victims focus only on current medical bills and lost wages, but your injuries may have long-term effects. A full settlement should cover:
Your attorney can work with medical experts to assess your long-term prognosis and ensure these future costs are included in your claim.
Insurance companies and defense attorneys closely monitor social media to find any evidence that could be used against you. Even seemingly innocent posts—like a photo of you out with friends—can be misinterpreted to suggest that your injuries aren’t as severe as you claim.
To protect your case:
Navigating the personal injury claims process can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. At Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C., we fight for maximum compensation so you can focus on healing.
Call us at 312-236-2900 or fill out our online contact form for a free, no-obligation consultation. Remember, you don’t pay unless we win.
