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	Vehicle Accidents
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Is it necessary to hire an attorney if the insurance company makes us a decent settlement proposal?

Q: My wife just had a car accident in Colorado Springs, and the accident was caused by a distracted driver. She was recently released from the hospital after being treated for her injuries. Is it necessary to hire an attorney if the insurance company makes us a decent settlement proposal?

A: That’s a good question, because the answer is no, you don’t need an attorney if the settlement satisfies you and your wife. There is a qualifier, though—are you sure that today’s decent proposal will still be a satisfactory settlement three weeks or two months from now?

There are several reasons why this may not be the case:

• Many injuries have symptoms that only appear gradually and at a later stage. This is often the case with concussions or back and neck injuries, among others. Retinal detachment, for example, can blur the vision after a number of days or weeks, and needs to be treated at once when it is discovered.
• The same reasoning applies to the material damage. Are you sure your car will be repaired within the quoted budget, and that it will be in the same condition as before?
• Insurance companies always want to settle as quickly as possible, in order to prevent the victim from claiming additional medical and other costs.

So the answer really depends on how sure you are that all the present and future costs resulting from the accident will be compensated. We would certainly recommend that very thorough medical examinations be made, and that you make sure all the bills and expenses have been taken into account.

Call Colorado Springs Auto Accident Attorney Robert J. Anderson at 866-254-1274 (toll-free) or 473-3040 (local) in Colorado Springs for a free consultation, or send us an e-mail.