After being hurt on another person's property, especially if this person is a friend or a neighbor, you probably have questions about how to proceed and what is in your best interests or what could be a mistake with regards to managing your premises liability claim. If the homeowner comes forward to offer you a cash settlement in order to forget this issue and to never file a legal claim about it again, this might seem tempting because you probably want to put this matter behind you and move on with your life.
Why a Lawyer can Help
At Shaw Law, however, we regularly counsel clients who have found themselves in a difficult position of trying to move on with their lives after a slip and fall or trip and fall accident, only to realize that an initial settlement offer, whether it comes from the home owner's insurance company or from the homeowner directly, does not fully compensate based on the severity of the injuries.
Although it seems like the easy route and one that could even help to maintain a neighborly relationship or a friendship, it could put you at a significant disadvantage if the settlement money runs out and you then have to pay for all of your medical bills and associated expenses on your own.
No victim in a premises liability accident should have to cope with all of the negative impacts of recovering from such an incident and yet this often happens for people who don’t get counsel from an Indiana premises liability lawyer. At Shaw Law, it is our goal to investigate all of the various facts of the case and to advise you about when a settlement offer might indeed be fair and when you should push back for additional compensation. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that a cash settlement offer that comes in a lump sum is going to fully pay for all of the associated expenses.
As an injured victim you might not even realize the different types of damages to which you are entitled. During your initial consultation with Indiana premises liability lawyer, Jeff Shaw, you'll get a better perspective on how the facts of your case could translate to damages for lost wages, pain and suffering, medical expenses in the past and in the future, and more. If you forego this important step and accept a settlement from a homeowner, you will most likely sign a settlement agreement that bars you from ever bringing any legal action against that homeowner.
Regardless of the severity of your injuries, it is important to at least receive counsel before signing any paperwork offered to you by the home owner's insurance company or the homeowner directly. This could expose you to many different challenges in your legal case and can cause many problems for someone who has been seriously injured. To better understand the timeline of a premises liability case and whether or not a settlement offer is indeed fair, work with your lawyer directly.