By Melanie Stuckey

When Should I Accept the Insurance Company’s Offer for My Personal Injury Claim?

At Donaldson Law, LLC, our personal injury attorneys in Denver know that after our clients have been hurt in a premises liability incident, car crash, or another injurious scenario in Colorado, it is difficult to know what to expect from the insurance company. When it comes to pursuing financial recovery for our clients’ injuries, the insurance company will investigate our client’s claims the same way we do — thoroughly. After your long road to recovery, you should receive as close to full compensation as possible. That typically means not accepting the first insurance company offer but allowing our law firm to negotiate the best outcome available for your unique recovery needs. Here is why.

Personal Injuries May Be More Serious Than They First Appear

The full extent of our client’s injuries from an accident may not be known for a long time after the incident. This could be the case for many reasons, including:

Complications arise during the healing process or healing does not occur as expected.
The injuries require more extensive treatment than initially anticipated.

Before accepting a personal injury settlement, our clients must know how their injuries will affect their current and future employment, mobility and activity levels, overall health, and quality of life. That typically requires reaching maximum medical improvement (MMI), which means the client has either reached their pre-injury status or is as good as they are going to get. If a client has ongoing pain or impaired function despite going through the recommended treatment, the impairment or injury will likely be deemed a permanent condition. From there, our skilled attorneys and the insurance company’s adjuster will begin negotiating based on the strengths and weaknesses of your claim. The insurance adjuster will often respond to the facts of the case with a settlement that is lower than our initial outline, and the negotiations will continue. It is crucial to have an experienced personal injury lawyer negotiating on your behalf, because settlement agreements include a release of liability, which means the insurance company is not responsible for any payments outside of the settlement agreement. Simply put, our clients cannot return to the table and ask for more money once the settlement is finalized. It is important to get it right during the negotiating process.

Will My Case Go to Trial If I Do Not Accept the Insurance Company’s Settlement?

It is estimated that only four to five percent of the personal injury cases in the United States go to trial. Since you manage your injuries, pain, and suffering, you are also in control of your recovery. We can help. Our Denver personal injury attorneys will keep you apprised of all negotiations, including when we believe negotiations have met our expectations and, more importantly, your recovery needs. If we agree that the case should proceed inside the courtroom, our trial-tested attorneys are prepared to fight for your complete financial compensation requirements.

Contact Our Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys in Denver, Colorado Today

If you have been injured because of another person or party’s negligence in Colorado, contact our skilled personal injury lawyers in Denver at Donaldson Law, LLC by calling (720) 458-5000 or contact us online to schedule a free confidential consultation to discuss your case.

Filed Under: Personal Injury

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CLIENT REVIEWS

My husband was rear-ended and his head broke through the back window of the truck. We decided to give things time to see if he improved. The other insurance company dragged things on forever. That’s when we decided we needed an attorney. We did not fully understand the statute of limitations and called a few attorneys thinking we had enough time. We quickly found out that in the land of the law, we were cutting it very close. The other attorneys we called passed saying that they just didn’t have the time to handle our case; we didn’t even get a chance to speak with anyone but the receptionist. Then I called Jennifer Donaldson and spoke to Melanie who is part of Jennifer’s incredible team. – Jackie G.

I was hit by a car while I was in a crosswalk. Afterward, I underwent multiple surgeries and occupational therapy. I was out of work after losing the use of my hand for a period of time. I knew that I couldn’t deal with the insurance companies on my own. After some research, I found Jennifer and Melanie. They were amazing through the whole process and the result was a very generous settlement. They were also able to get my health insurance to waive their subrogation claim. They have both been great to work with. Throughout my claim, they communicated with me and kept me updated. I would definitely recommend using Jennifer Donaldson if you ever need an attorney for a personal injury case.– Zander O.

Jennifer and her team were fantastic. They guided me through the whole process after getting into a car accident. She fought for me, and gave me and my family the best support. I don’t think I could have made it through the whole process without Jennifer and her team. Their knowledge of the insurance industry was very helpful and was a key factor in the outcome of my case.– Tony D.

My wife was involved in a serious auto accident where she sustained serious injuries, including a traumatic brain injury. Ms. Donaldson was professional, compassionate and very thorough from beginning to end. Her focus was to make sure that we were made whole. Her thorough work resulted in a settlement that provides for our needs for the rest of our lives. Ms. Donaldson is a great attorney.– Tony D.

I was hit by a car while riding my bicycle, causing me serious and permanent injuries. Ms. Donaldson handled my case in a very professional manner with outstanding results. She worked hard to make sure we got a settlement without the need for litigation while still getting the maximum recovery available. She and her staff were very thorough and stayed in constant communication. Overall, Ms. Donaldson was outstanding during the entire case. I highly recommend her to anyone in need of representation for their personal injury claim.– Leigh C.