It’s a story we’ve heard many times as experienced motorcycle injury attorneys: a motorcyclist gets in a wreck caused by someone else’s negligence, they prepare themselves for a long and frustrating battle with their insurance company to get compensation for their losses, and then that insurance company makes a settlement offer days after the incident. It all comes together a little too easily, and you’re not alone if the whole scenario makes you suspicious that the insurance company is trying to get one over you.

The truth is, quick settlement offers from insurance companies after motorcycle accidents are not always tricks or scams, and the question of whether you should accept one can have different answers in different situations. No matter what, though, having a skilled legal professional’s help can be key to determining what your settlement should cover and then ensuring the offer you get matches up with what you need.

Why Do Insurance Companies Sometimes Offer Settlements Quickly?

Broadly speaking, there are two reasons why insurance companies sometimes try to settle motorcycle accident claims quickly after they’re first filed, both of which essentially boil down to a desire to save the company money. In the first scenario, the insurance company thinks you may have a strong claim worth a lot of money, but also thinks you don’t know yet how much money your claim is actually worth. If they can get you to agree to a lowball settlement offer right away, they can avoid covering the costs of complex, long-lasting injuries in the future.

The other scenario is less common, but more favorable to you as the claimant: the insurance company thinks you have a strong claim and that you know how strong it is, so they want to settle the matter quickly so they can avoid a drawn-out and expensive litigation process. This kind of outcome is more likely to occur if you have representation from experienced legal counsel, since that lets the insurance company know they won’t be able to take advantage of any lack of legal knowledge and experience.

What to Think About Before Accepting a Settlement Offer

So, what are the questions you should be asking before deciding whether to accept a motorcycle settlement offer? Here are our recommendations:

• What is the extent of my injuries, and how long can I expect to continue needing medical treatment for them?
• Are my injuries disabling, and will they affect my long-term working and earning capacity?
• What out-of-pocket expenses have I paid and will I need to pay later because of my accident, and does this offer cover all of them?
• How confident am I that this one-time settlement—which I can’t go back and renegotiate later once I sign off on it—will cover every form of harm I can expect to experience in the future because of my accident?

Our team can help answer all those questions and many more in order to ensure your motorcycle injury claim has the best possible resolution for you.

Let Our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Help You Understand Your Settlement Offer

At Phillips Law Group, our team has the experience and skill needed to help you maximize your potential compensation after an accident. Call today for a consultation to learn more about whether you should accept an insurance settlement after a motorcycle accident.