Understanding Your Rights Following an Insurance Claim

After an auto accident, the at-fault driver is supposed to give his or her insurance information to the victim of the crash. The victim will then, usually, file an insurance claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

The insurance company will assess the damage and award the crash victim a certain amount of money. At that point, the individual can either accept the settlement and get paid, or the individual can reject the offer and pursue compensation through other means.

What Happens If You Accept

When you accept an insurance company’s settlement, you will usually be required to sign a release of liability, which is a document that, when signed, has the following effects:

• The crash victim will receive the pre-agreed amount of compensation
• The at-fault driver is released from all further liability in the case
• The crash victim cannot pursue any more compensation for that case

While these terms are acceptable for some individuals, others may not be satisfied with signing a release of liability.

Your Rights After Signing a Release of Liability

If you sign a release of liability, you must accept the insurance company’s settlement. Additionally, you may not sue the at-fault driver for additional compensation.

This means that if you later find out that the damage to your vehicle or the harm you suffered in the accident is worse than you thought, you cannot sue the at-fault driver to cover any further costs.

Deciding Which Option Is Best for You

Determining whether you should sign a release of liability or reject the insurance company’s settlement and sue the at-fault driver can be a difficult task. For help deciding, you may want to discuss your options with an experienced lawyer who can help you further assess the situation.

Contact Us

If you have been injured in an auto accident and are unsure of whether you should accept the insurance company’s settlement, contact the Coral Springs auto accidents attorneys of the Law Office of Eric G. Canter, P.A., at 866-529-0022 for legal guidance.