When Should I Settle My 18-Wheeler Crash Claim?

After a serious 18-wheeler crash, most people’s top priorities focus on their health and safety. However, over time, you may start to wonder if a settlement is in your best interest. While you may be tempted to take a quick settlement, there’s a lot at stake when you agree to a lump-sum payout.

At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we’ve helped thousands of people get fair compensation for their injuries. Our truck crash injury lawyers in Mobile have recovered hundreds of millions for their clients, and understand all of the insurance companies’ tactics. Here, we outline some key factors that you should consider before settling your truck accident claim.

When You Settle a Truck Accident Claim, You Give Up Your Right to More Compensation

When you settle a truck wreck claim in Alabama or Mississippi, there’s a lot of finality to it. In exchange for a lump-sum payment, you’re giving up all your legal claims. You typically can’t go back and ask for money later on—even if your condition worsens, you need another surgery, or have a change of heart.

That means that you should never accept a settlement unless you’re confident it’s in your best interest. Insurance adjusters sometimes try to take advantage of unrepresented people after truck wrecks. They may argue that you contributed to the crash, try to link your injuries on a pre-existing condition, or attempt to wear you down with harassing phone calls, independent medical examinations, and surveillance.

Here are four signs that you’re ready to settle your truck wreck claims.

1. You’re at Maximum Medical Improvement, and You Understand Your Future Medical Needs

There are several stages to your physical and emotional recovery after a truck crash. First, you’ll have acute injuries that need immediate attention: like broken bones, torn ligaments, and traumatic brain injuries. During this time, your doctors will be carefully assessing your needs and creating a treatment plan. However, there’s a lot of uncertainty at this point. You may not heal as quickly as your doctors anticipate or experience an infection or complication.

As time goes on, you’ll gain a better understanding of your chances of recovery, your medical needs, and the potential for more surgeries or intensive treatment. Eventually, your doctors will decide that you’ve reached “maximum medical improvement” (MMI), when your condition has stabilized and you will no longer improve with ongoing treatment.

Once your condition is stable, there’s not as much risk associated with a settlement. It’s less likely that you’ll need a surprise surgery or experience a significant setback in your recovery once you’re at MMI.

2. You’re Tired of Dealing With the Insurance Adjuster’s Harassment and Delays

Independent medical examinations, surveillance, and the countless phone calls, they can all wear on you after a truck accident. For others, taking a case to trial is too time-intensive, and they just can’t wait. If you’re tired of dealing with the insurance adjuster or want a guaranteed payout sooner than later, it might be time to consider a settlement.

Once you accept a settlement, your case is over. That means no more conversations with the insurance adjuster and an end to their “independent” medical examinations and other delay tactics.

3. You Want a Financial Nest Egg for You and Your Family

A lump-sum payment can provide financial security and peace of mind. If you’re struggling to pay your bills or want to ensure that your loved ones have the resources they need in the future, a settlement can help you achieve those goals.

Sometimes, especially in cases involving catastrophic truck wreck injuries, the insurance company may offer a structured settlement. In a structured settlement, you’ll receive scheduled payments over time. Sometimes, these payments are guaranteed for your lifetime. Other times, they may even continue after your passing.

A truck accident lawyer can help you understand the financial impact that your settlement may make on your family, and may even connect you with a life planner or financial planner to help you make wise decisions about your money.

4. Your Truck Accident Attorney Is Encouraging You to Consider Settlement

Unlike the insurance adjuster, your truck wreck lawyer is on your side. If a settlement is in your best interest, either because it’s a fair deal or due to challenges in your case, your lawyer will let you know.

At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we’re not afraid to take our clients’ cases to trial. However, when the insurance company presents a reasonable settlement offer, we always help our clients make smart decisions. We can help you weigh your options, as well as the potential benefits and risks associated with each one. It’s our goal to get our clients the money they deserve, but we also take our responsibilities to educate and empower their decision-making seriously. (We’ll never encourage you to settle if it’s not a fair deal.)

What’s the Average Truck Accident Settlement?

Your truck accident case isn’t “average.” It involves unique circumstances that changed your life forever, and you should never rely on broad statistics or an online calculator when you consider an insurance company’s settlement offer. Instead, schedule a free consultation with a trustworthy truck wreck lawyer at Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys.

When we evaluate our clients’ settlement values, we carefully investigate their claims, reviewing their medical records, police reports, crash data, and the electronic records from the 18-wheeler. Based on all the available information, we calculate a range of reasonable settlement values that are based on a series of factors:

• The severity of your injuries and your chances of making a full recovery
• The extent of the truck driver’s and trucking company’s negligence
• How much income or wage-earning capacity you’ve lost
• Your medical bills and need for ongoing medical care
• Your pain and suffering
• The amount of insurance coverage that applies to your truck accident claims
• Whether the insurance company has any defenses to your legal claims

We can provide you with an honest assessment and real-world advice based on our decades of experience with complex 18-wheeler injury claims. Our attorneys can also handle the paperwork and other communications on your behalf, so you can focus on healing and getting your life back on track.

At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, our law firm is well-known by insurance companies, so when we go to bat for our clients, the insurance companies know they can’t get away with cheating victims out of what they’re owed. And if they won’t take you seriously or make a reasonable offer, an attorney can help you file a lawsuit and present your claims to a jury.

RELATED: How to Calculate Your Damages After an Accident

Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys: Standing up to Trucking Companies and Their Insurers

We’re proud to help people like you secure fair settlement offers after a semi-truck or vehicle crash. With over 30 years of experience and a don’t-back-down approach, we’ve helped clients just like you take home millions of dollars in settlements and suits. If you’re ready to learn how much your case is worth and what amount you should settle for, don’t wait to give us a call. We can meet with you or your loved one in a private, free consultation with one of our accident attorneys to help you understand your options and decide what to do next.

Schedule time with our team of accident lawyers today by completing this brief online form or calling 251-888-8888.

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.