Car crash settlements: Important considerations before accepting

Not long ago, this Maryland-based personal injury blog published a post on settlements for medical malpractice cases. Before an Annapolis victim accepts a medical malpractice settlement, they must be sure that the amount offered is sufficient to meet their needs and cover their losses. Similar considerations should be made when a motor vehicle accident victim is offered a settlement following a collision.

What is a settlement?

Settlements are important agreements that exist in different areas of the law. In the personal injury field, a settlement may be an efficient way for a victim to be compensated for their losses after suffering damages due to another party’s actions. Generally, a settlement keeps a legal claim out of court and provides a victim with an agreed upon amount of money. In exchange for the receipt of their settlement money, the victim must give up their future right to sue the responsible party for their accident-related claims.

What to consider before accepting a car accident settlement

For some accident victims, settlements may be good tools for getting money fast to support their recoveries. For example, when a victim’s losses are limited and known, it may serve their interests to accept a settlement offer or negotiate a settlement so that they do not have to litigate their possible claims. However, when a victim’s injuries and losses are extensive, it may not be possible to quantify their damages in the weeks following their accidents.

Readers are asked to consider a victim who suffers brain damage in a car crash. While they may have the possibility of a full recovery, the extent of their long-term losses may not be apparent when they receive an offer of settlement. When a settlement is accepted, the victim generally loses their ability to seek further damages from the responsible party; if a settlement is incomplete in its scope, a victim may be left with accident-related costs to pay out of pocket.

There are advantages and drawbacks to settlements. They can be useful for some victims, but not all motor vehicle accident victims will benefit from them. Before accepting a settlement, it can be useful for a victim to talk to an attorney they know and trust.