Why You Should Never Accept the First Insurance Offer After a Car Accident

If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Southern California, you may be panicking—most people have this reaction, so you aren’t alone. You might be worrying about medical bills, your totaled vehicle, and the other expenses that are bound to come up. That’s why it’s important to consider a personal injury claim. If you negotiate instead of just accepting what the insurance company offers you right away, you have a fair chance at getting full compensation for your losses.

The team at DeWitt Algorri & Algorri, LLP is committed to supporting accident victims as they fight for justice. Our car accident attorneys are led by founding and senior partners Mark S. and Ernest P. Algorri, who handle a wide range of personal injury claims throughout California. Call us at 855-WINNING (946-6464) to set up a time to meet with our team.

You May Not Know How Serious Your Injuries Are

Perhaps the main reason you shouldn’t accept the insurance company’s first offer is that you don’t yet know how serious your injuries are. When insurance adjusters know that their client is at fault, they often reach out very quickly—often so quickly that the victim hasn’t even gotten any treatment for their injuries yet. If you accept an offer, you sign away your right to sue. Should you later find out that your injuries are more serious than you thought and the original settlement is no longer enough, you’re the one left covering those expenses. This could end up costing you thousands of dollars or more.

Unexpected Expenses May Be Just Around the Corner

Accident-related expenses go beyond just your medical bills, as any car accident lawyer will tell you. You may not yet know how damaged your vehicle is or how long you’ll be out of work—both important components of a full and fair settlement. You should have a good idea of how much your accident will cost you in full before you negotiate with the insurance company. Imagine accepting an offer, only to find out that your injury is serious enough to push you out of the industry you work in forever. That’s a huge loss, and a fair settlement would compensate you for the amount of money you’d lose over the course of your career. But if you’ve already accepted an offer by the time you make this discovery, it’s too late. Remember, the insurance company is not going to overestimate how much you deserve; they will underestimate at every turn to benefit themselves.

The Insurance Company is Testing the Waters

Car accident law firms have seen a wide range of unethical insurance company behaviors, and lowball settlement offers are at the top of the list. The difference between the initial offer and the final agreement is often substantial; insurance companies start as low as they think they can get away with. They’re just testing the waters at this point to see what they can get away with. Sometimes it works and they save more money than they expected. Sometimes the accident victim pushes back, gets a slight increase, and still feels like they won—even though the insurance company would have eventually agreed to more. With a car accident lawyer advocating for you, you can better figure out how much you actually deserve and get a chance to fight for it.

You Won’t Get Maximum Compensation Unless You Fight for It

At the end of the day, you have to remember that what your car accident attorney wants and what the insurance company wants are at odds with each other. The insurance company wants to keep as much money as possible, even if that means leaving you with less than you deserve for your injuries. Your attorney is the one who actually has your best interest at heart, and they know that they need to fight to advocate for you. The insurance company will only do the right thing and pay up if they know the evidence is strong enough to stand up in court and if they know a lawsuit is a very real possibility.

Find Out How DeWitt Algorri & Algorri, LLP Can Help—Call Our Car Accident Lawyers Today

At our car accident law firm, we are focused on helping victims like you demand fair and full compensation. Take the first step now by calling us at 855-WINNING (946-6464) or contacting us online.