If you have been involved in a trucking collision in Homestead or any Florida community, one of the things you will need to decide almost right away is whether to file an injury claim or whether to simply accept the insurance benefits your car insurance or the truck carrier’s insurance company offers.
It can be tempting to accept the first offer. It may seem like a lot of money and you may want to avoid a lengthy legal battle. The employees working for the insurance company may seem sympathetic to your plight and may encourage you to simply accept the benefits you are given.
The Problems with Insurance Claims
The problem is that once you accept insurance money, you may have signed away your rights to pursue compensation in civil court or in a legal claim. Even if after the fact you realize that your insurance money does not cover the costs of your injuries, you may be stuck and unable to seek more compensation. This can leave you in financial distress and unable to pay your bills.
The reality is that medical costs for a serious injury in Homestead and the rest of South Florida can be quite high. For example, did you know that the costs of a serious spinal cord injury in South Florida can cost more than $100 000 in medical expenses in the first year of treatment alone? That does not cover incidental expenses, such as at-home care, the costs of car repairs, lost wages, and the many other financial concerns that someone injured in a truck accident will typically face. Over a lifetime, a serious career-ending head injury or spinal cord injury can cost a patient millions of dollars.
You may have excellent medical coverage at your workplace and you may have a good car insurance policy in place, but do you really think that the insurance company will hand over millions of dollars? In most cases, insurance companies are looking to resolve claims quickly and without spending too much. Offering smaller claim amounts saves the insurance companies money and looks great for their shareholders. Unfortunately, it can also mean that someone who has been seriously injured in a car crash is left without the money to pay for medication, treatment, and other options.
Protect Yourself After a Roadway Crash
It is a very common situation: a patient may accept an insurance offer only to have the insurance money run out. What happens then? How can the patient pay for at-home care, rehabilitation, and other costs? If they cannot return to work because of their injury, the patient may need to make some difficult choices. Many people seriously injured in roadway accidents who do not receive adequate compensation either return to work when they shouldn’t or end up cutting corners on their medical treatment to save money – a choice that can affect their quality of life and can even lead to medical complications.
If you have been seriously injured through no fault of your own, you deserve the compensation and support to a lead a full and happy life. Unfortunately, many insurance companies do not consider all long-term costs when offering benefits. They may also label some expenses – such as rehabilitation – as “optional” and underestimate the costs of needed medical care. Finally, insurance carriers may claim that an injured person is not qualified for some types of coverage.
A personal injury attorney hired by you works for you to protect your interests. A skilled attorney will investigate the causes of your accident and pursue all liable parties. He or she understands the insurance laws that govern claims and can use this knowledge to fight for fairer compensation. Working with medical consultants and other professionals, a skilled lawyer can show exactly how much your injuries are likely to cost in the long term, so that you can pursue fair compensation.
Do you want to speak to a personal injury attorney right now? Contact Flaxman Law Group to schedule a free accident consultation to discuss the facts of your case and the options that exist for you right now.