Responding to a Low Settlement Offer After a Catastrophic Injury
Don’t be fooled: Charleston insurance companies are looking out for their bottom line, not your health and well-being. Insurance adjusters know that catastrophic injury cases often result in significant financial liability and may attempt to quickly settle your claims for substantially less than they’re worth.
Never sign any insurance paperwork or accept compensation checks/deposits without first speaking with the dedicated catastrophic injury lawyer at the Law Office of Mark C. Tanenbaum. Our experienced South Carolina legal team can immediately review lowball offers and may help you obtain a significantly higher settlement without any upfront fees or out-of-pocket costs.
Understanding the Legal Impact of Personal Injury Settlements in South Carolina
Most viable personal injury cases settle with the liable insurance company, especially if you or a loved one suffered from one of the following life-altering injuries in a Charleston accident:
- Severe traumatic brain injury
- Paraplegia
- Quadriplegia
- Amputations
- Third-degree burns
- Compound or open fractures
- Multiple disc herniations
- Death
These cases commonly exceed insurance limits because they typically involve long-term medical expenses and lost wages. As such, adjusters may quickly provide a seemingly valuable settlement offer to avoid paying out the policy.
Families often need quick settlements after devastating accident injuries, and insurers are counting on your desperation. However, you may not go back and demand more money or sue the liable party once you accept a settlement. You legally waive all future financial claims against that defendant for your lost wages, medical expenses, and suffering. Once you settle your claim, there is almost no going back.
Identifying Lowball Settlement Offers
Catastrophic injury cases should only settle quickly if the insurance company offers a policy payout. For example, South Carolina insurance laws require drivers to carry at least $25,000 in bodily injury coverage.
Settlement offers of $25,000 may seem low, but they are policy payouts. Any settlement offer below the full policy amount, even if the liable party has higher coverage, could be a lowball offer in catastrophic injury cases.
South Carolina law allows eligible claimants to demand the value of both past and future medical expenses and lost wages after catastrophic motor vehicle accidents and falls. Reputable local personal injury lawyers will work with medical, occupational, and economic experts to calculate the full value of your claim, not just the value of immediately foreseeable expenses.
Responding to Insurance Communications After Catastrophic Accidents
The best response to lowball settlement offers in Charleston is often no response at all. Instead, you should bring any insurance communications to a catastrophic injury attorney in Charleston. He can review the facts of your case, demand insurance policy information, and help you understand whether you’ve received a lowball offer. Once you retain legal counsel, the insurance company can no longer contact you directly. Any future offers must go directly through your attorney’s office.
Charleston Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
Expect a lowball settlement offer if you’re not working with legal counsel. Victims of catastrophic accidents in Charleston who retain the Law Office of Mark C. Tanenbaum, P.A. often receive significantly higher settlements than those without representation. Discuss the actual value of your catastrophic injury claims with our dedicated accident attorney today by calling (843) 577-5100 or connecting with us online at no cost.