Whether you’ve been injured in a car accident, truck accident, or other kind of personal injury accident in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, you’re going to want to claim compensation for your injuries. After all, being injured because of someone else’s negligence is a huge injustice. It’s only fair that you ask for some elements of justice to be restored through a personal injury lawsuit.

And it’s not just a matter of fairness. You need the money to cover all these unexpected expenses you’re being hit with.

But it’s imperative that you slow down and consider the full scope of your situation. Otherwise, you could make a serious mistake that many personal injury accident victims make: walking away with a settlement that is way too low.

This article will explore how this mistake happens and one major tip for avoiding it.

How Do Unfair Settlements Happen? 

There are a lot of ways that accident victims could end up accepting an unfair settlement. Some reasons include: not having competent legal representation, not gathering appropriate evidence, and giving up the fight too soon.

Many accident victims are (understandably) anxious to get compensation quickly so that they can start paying for the medical bills that are waiting in stress-inducing stacks. The problem is, insurance companies count on this and use it to their advantage. In order to protect their bottom lines, insurance companies will often try to convince vulnerable accident victims into accepting a settlement that is unjustly low.

All of these are common mistakes in personal injury claims, but one of the biggest mistakes that victims make is failing to wait until Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).

You can avoid falling for an unfair settlement by understanding more about MMI and working with a personal injury attorney to understand the full scope of your case.

What Is Maximum Medical Improvement? 

HG Legal Resources defines Maximum Medical Improvement as “the point at which a patient is likely to have made as much of a recovery as possible from their injuries, with any ongoing issues classified as either a permanent disability or impairment.”

When you reach MMI, doctors can tell you what your medical future will look like. MMI can help doctors evaluate what treatments and other requirements you will need in the future, and what those treatments and requirements will cost in Pittsburgh. Without waiting for MMI, you won’t know how much money you are entitled to claim for your damages.

MMI doesn’t just affect medical expenses such as surgeries, physical therapy, or medications. These kinds of medical expenses are called “economic damages” – and refer to damages that have an objective dollar amount connected to them. Something like a car replacement would also be a claimable economic damage. But personal injury claims can also cover non-economic damages. These are damages that do not have a predetermined value, but rather are given a value based on what your attorney argues and what a judge accepts. Non-economic damages can include accident repercussions such as PTSD, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, and more – all of which can be better understood by waiting for MMI.

After having your life turned upside down by a serious accident, you probably know that you deserve a high insurance settlement or compensation award. But Pennsylvania personal injury law can sometimes make it hard to claim justice without certain types of evidence. Waiting for MMI can give you the evidence you need – in the form of statements from medical professionals, hospital bills, and more.

How To Get Started On A Successful Case  

While waiting for MMI can help significantly, there’s much more than goes into building a winning case. Your personal injury attorney will need to analyze every potential economic and non-economic damage that you might be able to claim. Your attorney will need to gather evidence that will tell your side of the story in a believable way. And your attorney will need to establish that the other party was indeed negligent. This can sometimes be the hardest part, especially if the other party wants to shift the blame to you. But don’t risk getting blamed for injuries that you’ve suffered because of someone else. Get the legal support that helps you move forward with confidence.

You’ve suffered enough injustice, now it’s time to make things right. If you’ve been injured in an accident in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, you can rest assured that the legal team at Scanlon & Wajton is here to help! With 45 years of combined experience and a commitment to the peace of mind of our clients, we’re your solution for caring legal assistance in Pittsburgh.

Call (412) 918-1241 today for a free consultation! Or set up an appointment or make an injury by messaging us online.