Why Should I Refuse a Fast Settlement Offer After a Crash?

 Posted on May 23, 2025 in Car Accidents

A hit-and-run accident in Austin claimed the life of a 29-year-old pedestrian and injured two others recently. The crash happened on an I-35 frontage road in the early morning hours of May 11th, 2025. The fatal victim was hospitalized for several days before her death on May 16th. Injured victims often undergo intensive medical treatment, only to eventually die from their wounds. In other cases, victims survive but have long-term or permanent conditions that will require lifelong medical care and other accommodations.

If someone else caused the collision that injured you or claimed your loved one’s life, you may be entitled to compensation. However, be very wary of an insurance company’s initial settlement offer. They are usually unreasonably low and do not provide nearly as much compensation as you deserve. To receive a maximum amount, you need the assistance of our skilled New Braunfels, TX personal injury lawyer.

Why Do Insurers Make Fast Settlement Offers?

Insurance company representatives often seem friendly and helpful. They may tell you that they want to give you a settlement quickly so you have money to pay your bills while you are out of work after your accident. However, that is not the real reason insurers might try to get you to accept a quick payout.

Insurance carriers are businesses that want to retain their profits. An adjuster will calculate what the company should pay you, but that is usually not the amount offered. Instead, the company typically offers just enough to make you think you are getting a fair sum. You may be told that the amount is all they can pay for your claim. Once you accept an offer, that is the most you will receive. Without an attorney advocating for your best interests, you may not even realize the insurer is taking advantage of you.

Why Should I Wait to Accept an Insurance Offer?

Many times, you will not understand the full extent of your injuries until time passes. Some wounds may leave you disabled and unable to return to work. You may need medical care for the rest of your life for those injuries. Along with the financial impacts, your injuries may also diminish your quality of life.

You may qualify to receive compensation not only for your current accident-related expenses, but also for future costs. Intangible losses, like pain and suffering, might affect you for a long time. If you take a fast and low settlement offer, you will probably not receive any money for your future losses. Insurers are also very reluctant to pay non-economic damages.

If you are filing a wrongful death claim, you should also be able to file a survival action. Wrongful death claims reflect your losses, while a survival action addresses the losses suffered by the deceased between the accident and death. Again, you are highly unlikely to recover nearly as much as you should without an attorney.

Your lawyer wants you to secure full compensation for your damages. To make that happen, we will build a solid case with supporting evidence. We will assess all your eligible damages and calculate them accurately. We will try to negotiate with the insurer to reach an acceptable settlement amount, but these companies do not always cooperate. If needed, we can file a civil lawsuit and take your case to court.

Discuss Your Case With Our Skilled Comal County, TX Car Accident Lawyer

When you choose The Bettersworth Law Firm, fighting to help you obtain maximum compensation is only one of the things we do on your behalf. To learn more, schedule your free case review today with our experienced New Braunfels, TX personal injury attorney. Contact us online or by calling 830-606-0404 now.