Why should I avoid a quick settlement?

Fort Worth, Texas Injury Victims Should Avoid “Quick Settlements”

This is the second post in our series on important issues or Fort Worth, Texas victim should consider when hiring a personal injury lawyer. Our last post served as an overview of topics we will discuss and stressed the need to understand that not all law firms are the same when choosing an attorney. In this post we will discuss why victims should avoid quick settlements after suffering an injury.

A Quick Settlement May Not Be in A Texas Injury Victim’s Best Interest

An initial settlement offer from the responsible party or insurance company may not be adequate to cover all of the injured party’s damages. A personal injury lawyer that accepts an initial offer in order to settle a case quickly often does not gain the client more money than they would have received if they had handled the case themselves. This is due to the nature of the insurance claims process. After a victim is injured, the at-fault party’s insurance adjuster will usually initiate contact and make a quick and cheap settlement offer. This offer will be made even if the injured party does not have an attorney. Unfortunately, some injury firms accept this initial offer on behalf of their client and take a percentage of the settlement. In other words, these attorneys take the same offer which the client could have gotten for themselves and take a portion for attorney’s fees. This is not in the best interest of the victim.

Counsel’s role is to aggressively represent you and protect your best interests. It is crucial to retain counsel who will fight for a fair settlement offer from the responsible party, and if a fair offer is not made, will file a lawsuit.

Fort Worth, Texas Injury Victims Should Consider an Attorney’s Track Record when Choosing Representation

By not jumping at the first settlement offer, injury victims ensure that their case is adequately investigated and all potential avenues of recovery are explored. It is important to hire an attorney with experience in injury cases and an understanding of how to navigate through settlement negotiations. Counsel should handle cases in all Texas counties including Tarrant, Dallas, Johnson, and Wise, as well as Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Haltom City, Richland Hills, North Richland Hills, Watauga, Grapevine, Colleyville, Southlake, Arlington, Keller, Grand Prairie, Dallas, and Fort Worth.