Should You Finish Medical Treatment Before Receiving an Injury Settlement?
A personal injury claim takes time, and the more complex your injuries are, the more complicated this entire process may be. At some point, you may need to make a decision—will you finish medical treatment before you accept an injury settlement, or will you do the best you can to secure a fair settlement before recovering?
Having a strong personal injury attorney can make it much easier to navigate this process and make the right choice for you. Call Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman at 866-565-4949 to set up a consultation with our team immediately.
The Role of Maximum Medical Improvement
The concept of maximum medical improvement plays a big role in when you should accept a personal injury settlement. Reaching maximum medical improvement is an important milestone in your injury recovery process. It indicates that you have recovered as much as you are ever likely to, even if treatment were to continue indefinitely. In some cases, that means that you’ve made a full recovery. However, in cases where a full recovery is simply not possible, maximum medical improvement falls short of a full recovery. Waiting until you’ve reached maximum medical improvement before accepting a settlement can give you a better understanding of your medical expenses, what type of care you may need moving forward, and how much money you would need to be made whole.
How Waiting May Affect Your Claim
There are benefits and disadvantages that come with waiting before you accept a personal injury settlement. To start, you may see the expenses of your claim start to pile up from the very beginning. While some medical care providers may put off billing until your personal injury claim is complete, not all care providers can afford to do that, and waiting to pay your bills may ruin your credit. Furthermore, if you have been out of work for some time, a personal injury settlement could be your only chance at paying your bills and taking care of your family.
However, if you wait to finish medical treatment, you get the best calculation of the cost of your medical bills, the effects on your career and earning ability, and other expenses arising from your injuries. This may be enough to override the downsides, particularly if the outcome of your injury is still difficult to guess.
Potential Consequences of Taking an Immediate Settlement
This doesn’t mean that taking an immediate settlement is in your best interest. In fact, taking an early settlement is rarely the best option for you. The earlier you accept a settlement, the less information you have about your injuries and their impact on your well-being. Remember, accepting a settlement means signing a waiver that gives up your right to sue for your current injuries or any other injuries resulting from the accident at hand. If you accept a settlement immediately so you can pay your bills and later find out that you are permanently injured and unable to work, it’s too late. You cannot go back to the at-fault party and demand more compensation—all other expenses fall squarely on your shoulders.
Discussing Your Options with Your Attorney
For many personal injury victims, the best option lies somewhere between waiting until you’ve made a full recovery and accepting the earliest settlement offered to you. This is why it’s so important to have a personal injury attorney in Pittsburgh. They understand the nuances of cases like yours, and they can apply their experience to the unique aspects of your case. After learning more about your accident and injuries, they can help you decide when you should accept a settlement and what amount will truly make you whole.
The settlement you receive after an injury should be enough to cover all of your accident-related expenses. Make sure you fight for every dollar you are owed.
Choose Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman for Your Injury Claim
When you’re ready to take the next step in your personal injury claim, the team at Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman is here to support you and advocate for you. Let’s sit down, discuss your injuries, and develop a plan to fight for full and fair compensation. Contact our team online or give us a call at 866-565-4949 to get started.
