Insurance companies move fast after car accidents. Sometimes too fast. You might get a settlement offer within days, and while it’s tempting to accept and move on, that quick money often comes at a steep cost. Not every offer deserves your signature.
Wait Until You Know The Full Picture
Here’s what happens all the time: someone accepts a settlement two weeks after their accident, thinking they’re fine. Then three months later, they’re still in physical therapy, or they need surgery, or they can’t work like they used to. Maximum medical improvement matters. It’s the point where your doctors can actually tell you what your future looks like. Will you need more treatment? Can you return to your old job? Once you sign that release, you’re done. The insurance company won’t take your call when you discover you need a third surgery or can’t lift anything heavier than ten pounds for the rest of your life. Your Indiana car accident lawyer can tell you whether you’ve reached that point or if you need to wait.
Do the Math On Your Medical Costs
Pull out your medical bills. All of them. Add up what you’ve paid so far and what’s still coming. Your settlement needs to cover:
- Emergency room visits and ambulance rides
- Hospital stays and any surgical procedures
- Physical therapy sessions (both completed and future)
- All prescription medications
- Medical devices like crutches, braces, or mobility aids
- Any in-home care you’ve needed
If the insurance company’s offer doesn’t even hit that number, you already know it’s inadequate. Some injuries require ongoing treatment. Insurance adjusters know this, but they’re banking on you not thinking that far ahead.
Your Paycheck Matters Too
Missing work hurts. You’ve got bills, and they don’t stop coming just because you’re recovering from an accident, but lost wages go beyond the paycheck you missed last month. What if your injuries mean you can’t do your job the way you used to? Maybe you were in construction, and now you can’t handle the physical demands. That’s lost earning capacity, and it’s worth real money. Insurance companies love to pretend it doesn’t exist.
Pain Isn’t Just Physical
You know how your life has changed since the accident. The constant pain. The driving anxiety. The activities you can’t do with your kids anymore. Indiana law recognizes these losses as legitimate damages. Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life. They’re harder to put a dollar figure on than a hospital bill, which is exactly why insurance companies try to minimize them or ignore them completely.
Timing Tells You Everything
When did the offer arrive? If it’s been less than a month since your accident and you’re already getting settlement calls, something’s wrong. Insurance companies use speed as a weapon. They know you’re stressed about medical bills. They’re counting on you to grab the first lifeline they throw, even if it’s not nearly enough to keep you afloat. According to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, thousands of crashes happen across the state every year, and insurance companies have refined their tactics on all of those claims.
Demand Transparency
Ask the adjuster how they calculated their offer. If they can’t explain it clearly, or if they get defensive, that tells you something important. A legitimate settlement breaks down into clear categories. Medical expenses should match your actual bills. Lost wages should reflect your pay stubs. Vague numbers and fuzzy math mean they’re hiding something. Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers can review any offer and tell you exactly what’s missing and why.
Listen To Your Lawyer
If you’ve hired an Indiana car accident lawyer, their job is to know what your case is worth. They’ve seen hundreds of similar claims. They understand how insurance companies operate and what similar injuries have settled for in the past. When your attorney tells you an offer is too low, they’re protecting you from accepting less than you deserve.
Don’t Leave Money On The Table
Rejecting a settlement doesn’t mean you’ll end up in court for years. Often, it means the insurance company comes back with a better offer, sometimes significantly better. Before you accept any settlement, contact our firm, and we can evaluate whether that number actually covers your losses.
