In Indiana, personal injury claims more commonly end with out-of-court settlements rather than civil court verdicts. This trend certainly extends to claims built around traffic accidents involving commercial trucks. However, this does not mean that getting a fair amount of compensation from an insurance settlement is an easy thing to accomplish.
In fact, many people who try to pursue truck accident settlements in Merrillville on their own wind up getting only a fraction of the money they should or, more often, getting nothing at all. Put simply, if you want to get the best possible outcome from your settlement talks, you should strongly consider retaining and working closely with a truck accident attorney from the Law Offices of David W. Holub.
Pros and Cons of Settling a Truck Crash Claim
The primary benefit of settling a Merrillville truck accident claim—and why both people tend to prefer this option over litigation—is that it is much quicker and usually much cheaper than taking a case all the way to court. Negotiating for a private settlement gives an injured person much more direct control over the outcome of their claim, whereas putting the case before a civil court judge or jury could lead to a final verdict, which serves neither side’s preferences.
That said, the lack of court involvement can sometimes hinder recovery efforts instead of helping them, especially for people who try to pursue settlements without legal representation. Put bluntly, insurance companies turn a profit by doing everything they can to avoid paying out claims, and they are often more than willing to fight dirty—and sometimes even illegally—if it will get a claimant to accept a lowball settlement offer.
What To Keep in Mind During the Settlement Process
One very important thing to understand about Merrillville truck accident settlements is that agreeing to accept a settlement offer almost always permanently and irreversibly ends the case in question. In other words, there is no option to go back and ask for more money if injuries suddenly get worse over time. With that in mind, it is generally best to wait a while after a truck wreck before even starting settlement negotiations, so everyone has a complete picture of what losses will need to be accounted for in the short term and in the long term.
Likewise, it is important for claimants to remember that they have power during settlement talks—specifically, the power to sue with the help of their lawyer if the insurance company refuses to play fair. To keep that option on the table, though, a complaint must be filed within two years of when the truck accident in question happened, or else the “statute of limitations” for personal injury claims may prohibit any sort of lawsuit from proceeding.
Learn More About Truck Accident Settlements from a Merrillville Attorney
Even if you have very strong legal grounds on which to demand a truck accident settlement in Merrillville, there is, unfortunately, no way to guarantee that the insurance company will negotiate with you in good faith. However, if you get help from skilled legal counsel as early as possible, you will dramatically improve your chances of resolving your claim positively.
Our team at The Law Offices of W. Holub knows how to handle truck accident claims proactively and effectively and could put our experience to work for you to get you the restitution you need. Call today to schedule a consultation.