If a person has been in an accident they should never settle their case before they have recovered from their injuries.

From the time you arrive home from the hospital, and maybe while you are in the hospital, the insurance adjuster will begin to contact you, usually by telephone, sometimes in person. Be very cautious in your dealings with the insurance adjuster. The adjuster will more than likely come across as very sympathetic and concerned. Be careful.

After you have been in an accident know that a seemilgly sympathetic insurance adjuster will try and contact you. Be cautious. What the adjuster is more than likely attempting to do is getting you to accept a settlement before you even know how badly you are hurt. It is important for you to wait until you have finished your treatment and have recovered from your injuries before you explore your settlement options. Treatment in this context is not confined to treating your immediate medical needs but all of your injuries.

If you or someone you know has ever been in an accident you know that it is not uncommon for injuries to present themselves the next day or even a few days later. Many times these could just be the residual of muscle tensing during the accident but sometimes it could something much more serious. The more serious injuries usually require more extensive treatment. Only time will tell how far reaching the injuries are.

It is also important to note the importance of following the treatment plan devised by the doctors treating you. This is important because if you don't follow the plan exactly the assumption is that your injuries are not serious and the compensation to you may be compromised. Do yourself a favor and make sure to follow doctor's orders.

Once you have finished your medical treatment, either by recovering or reaching your maximum medical improvement (meaning you are as good as you can possibly get), it is time to explore the possibility of settling your case. You do not want to ever consider settling before this time. The thing to remember is that once a settlement is reached your case is over. It can never be reopened. I repeat. NEVER!

It is always tempting to "take the money and run" but know that the adjusters are counting on that attitude and hoping to pay less. You will likely be much better off if you wait. All injuries and problems are compensated in a personal injury case at one time by the at-fault party's insurance company. If you discover a problem after you have reached a settlement there is nothing you can do. Once a case is settled it is over. As an attornies we must make sure we know everything that is wrong with you and the problems the accident caused before these decisions are made.

Mike Schafer, auto accident attorney
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