When it comes to negotiating a settlement after you’ve been injured in a bike accident, patience is a virtue. Your first instinct may be to accept the insurance company’s initial offer and put the accident behind you. However, this is not the wisest approach. You should never accept a settlement until you’ve asked yourself three key questions.
Have You Reached Maximum Medical Improvement?
You should never accept a settlement offer until you’ve reached what’s known as maximum medical improvement. This means you’ve either fully recovered from your injuries or your condition has stabilized enough that your doctors can predict what your ongoing care will involve.
Once you accept a settlement, you are not allowed to ask for more money if your medical expenses and lost wages turn out to be greater than you had anticipated. This is why it’s vital to be able to accurately estimate your long-term accident-related costs.
Have You Considered the Value of Your Pain and Suffering?
In addition to compensation for your medical expenses and lost wages, Tennessee personal injury law entitles you to seek compensation for the pain and suffering you experienced as a result of the accident. This includes your physical pain as well as emotional trauma and loss of enjoyment of life.
Pain and suffering values are widely underestimated by the general population. If you are seeking treatment for anxiety or other mental health issues, can no longer participate in a favorite hobby due to your injuries, or continue to struggle with chronic pain, you deserve to be fully compensated for these losses.
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