Should I Sign A Release In My Philadelphia Personal Injury Case?

Signing a Release

If the negligence of another person or a company caused your injury, you should not be responsible for paying for your medical treatment. You should not have to bear the costs of missing work and paying for future medical care. If you suffered a permanent injury or disfigurement, the person responsible for your injury should compensate you for your pain and suffering. However, how do you make sure that the person responsible will be held accountable?

In many cases, the person who caused the injury will have insurance, and the insurance company will step in to offer you a deal. The insurance company may try and offer you a settlement. In exchange for you accepting the offer, the insurance company will have you sign a release. The release basically says that you are accepting the deal, and you won’t later file a lawsuit against the person who caused your injury. It may seem straightforward; however, before you sign a release in your personal injury case, make sure you understand the repercussions of accepting the deal.

Settlement Offers in Personal Injury Cases

For many people experiencing an injury, it may be the first time they’ve dealt with an insurance company settlement offer. It can be difficult enough dealing with medical treatment, hospital bills, and trying to get back to work. After all, your focus will be on getting better so that you can go back to your normal life. With so much going on in your life, you may be unsure how to make sure your bills get paid.

Then the insurance company steps in. They represent the person who you believe caused your injury, and they decide to offer you a settlement. The settlement offer may seem generous, but make sure you think about the true costs of your injury. Before you ever sign a release in a car accident settlement, make sure you know exactly what you are signing, and what it may mean for your recovery.

Your injury is costing you more than just the expense of medical bills. An injury can affect your long-term health, your relationships, your career, and your entire life. An injury could result in missing a few days of work, yet when you return, you realize your injury is complicating the basic tasks you used to accomplish with ease. An injury could leave you with serious scarring that makes you want to avoid wearing a swimsuit in the summertime. Your spouse may even suffer after you are injured. All of these things make up the total amount of damages you’ve suffered as a result of your injury.

Once you add up the true costs of your injury, a settlement offer may not seem as generous as initially thought. If the insurance company does not fully value your injuries, pain and suffering, and emotional health, then you may be wondering why they are so quick to make you a settlement offer. Sometimes the insurance companies know that your case is worth much more than they are offering. They may offer a quick settlement to tempt you to sign a waiver of your rights before you have a chance to talk to a lawyer. After you talk to a personal injury attorney, the insurance company may know that they’ll have to take your claim much more seriously.

Talk to a personal injury attorney before you sign away your rights.

Before you sign away your rights, you should talk to an attorney so that you understand what is at stake. It is very easy to sign your name at the bottom of a document; however, it is very difficult to try and take it back. It is important to have an experienced attorney look it over so they can explain to you what the terms and conditions mean for you and your claim. Even if you later decide to sign a release, you will be signing the release with a full understanding of what it means.

If you or a loved one is injured due to the negligence of another, you should consider talking to an experienced Philadelphia attorney before you sign any kind of release. Contact the law firm of Gilman & Bedigian for a free consultation. Our experienced attorneys have years of experience handling Philadelphia personal injury and medical malpractice cases. We will evaluate your case to make sure the insurance company isn’t trying to pull a fast one.