If you get hurt in a car accident caused by someone else’s reckless or careless driving, you have a right to file a civil suit against them and demand compensation for all your crash-related losses. However, even if you do go through with the process of filing this kind of lawsuit, it is very likely that your case will end with a private settlement agreement out of court, rather than go before a civil judge or jury.
You do not need to fear Woodland Hills car accident settlements. If you understand and can effectively enforce your rights under state law, it is possible to get all the compensation you need for your damages through a settlement offer. That said, you may find yourself struggling to get anything close to a fair settlement offer if you try to pursue one on your own. This is one of many reasons why you should contact an attorney from Valero Law Group as soon as possible after a wreck.
What Kinds of Losses Do Settlements Include?
Settlement talks for car accident injuries in Woodland Hills typically involve only two parties. These parties involve the injured person seeking compensation for specific losses stemming from their injuries and a car insurance company, which represents the person at fault for the wreck, or, less commonly, the injured person themselves. Either way, the goal of the settlement process is to establish exactly how much money the injured person needs as reimbursement for all compensable damages related to their accident. Then, they need to determine how much of that amount the insurance company is legally liable to pay them.
Both economic and non-economic forms of harm can be factored into this kind of settlement, including medical bills, lost work income, physical pain, emotional anguish, and more. Most importantly, it is possible to incorporate expected future losses into a settlement demand in addition to losses that have already occurred by the time the legal process begins. This is crucial due to something called the statute of limitations, which limits the amount of time an injured person has to wait after initially being hurt to file a lawsuit over their injury-related damages.
What To Remember During Settlement Talks?
Accident victims often need money fast to cover urgent expenses, and the hard deadline for car accident lawsuits adds a time constraint. This means that insurance companies in Woodland Hills often try to rush potential claimants through auto accident settlement talks in order to pressure them into accepting a settlement that is less valuable than they deserve. In fact, many insurers will offer a settlement right away after someone files a valid claim against them. These insurers hope that the injured person will accept the quick cash and not pursue the full amount of compensation to which they are legally entitled.
Insurance adjusters may also ask leading questions, act overly friendly, and engage in various other tactics to try to trick claimants into inadvertently weakening their own cases for compensation. Guidance from a skilled legal professional can be crucial to ensure these kinds of tricks do not keep an injured person from getting paid what they need after being harmed by another driver’s negligence. Reach out to learn more.
Learn More About Car Accident Settlements From a Woodland Hills Attorney
Pursuing a car accident claim all the way through a civil court trial can be time-consuming and expensive. There is also no guarantee that it will end with you getting more money than you may have obtained through a private settlement. At the same time, you should be careful about accepting a settlement offer before you are absolutely sure it is the best possible option. This is because once you sign off on a settlement, you cannot go back later and ask for more money if that initial agreement does not cover all your losses.
If you want to get the best possible outcome for Woodland Hills car accident settlements, you should make contacting and retaining an auto injury lawyer from Valero Law Group your top priority. Call today to schedule a consultation.
