It depends.
Your case is dictated solely by you. Your case shouldn’t settle until you have reached maximum medical improvement. Put another way, you shouldn’t settle your case unless and until you have fully recovered from your injuries.
In Louisiana, the minimum auto policy limits are $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident. If you have suffered from a serious s injury and the at fault driver only has a minimal Louisiana automobile policy, there’s no way you can be fully compensated, unless you have sufficient underinsured motorist limits of your own.
Take for example, you have suffered from a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury as a result of an automobile accident. Treatment for the same could take months or years to conclude. Let’s say you have been properly diagnosed after three months. Let’s also assume after three months, you have $5,000 in medical bills.
If the at fault driver only has $15,000 available in insurance, your case should settle immediately. Unfortunately, without additional insurance, you will be unable to properly recover. At that time, your case is obviously in excess of the $15,000 that’s available and while you haven’t reached the maximum medical improvement, you have recovered all that remains. That’s why UNINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE IS IMPORTANT.
Let’s now assume, rather than a $15,000 policy, you were run into by an Uber or Lyft driver while they had a paying fare inside the vehicle. In that scenario, there’s $1,000,000 in available insurance. Now, rather than settling your case, you may receive referrals to specialist who can properly treat you back to health. Unless and until your case becomes obviously in excess of the $1,000,000, you should continue to do what your treating physicians tell you to do so that you are nursed back to health.
At some point, the treating physician will either discharge you either due to you being fully recovered or because you have reached the maximum medical improvement. In that case, your case can then begin the settlement process.
In Louisiana, you have one year to file suit. That is, if your case doesn’t settle within one year, you must file suit in a court of competent jurisdiction to keep your claim alive. Typically, on more serious injury cases, suit will have to be filed. It typically takes more than one year to reach MMI or recover from your injuries.
Depending on how the insurance company value your case, it could never settle. It could proceed to trial. Trial isn’t a bad thing. If an insurance company doesn’t want to fairly value your case, you need to let a Judge or Jury show them that they are wrong.
Contact a New Orleans Personal Injury Attorney for More Information
If you have been injured in an auto accident, you should have a New Orleans lawyer represent you. After an accident, knowing how much your case could be worth isn’t readily available. An experienced lawyer from The Burrell Firm LLC can advise you and help you determine how much your case is worth.
Call us today at (504) 688-7728 to schedule a free initial consultation.
Contact a Ruston Personal Injury Attorney for More Information
If you have been injured in an auto accident, you should have a Ruston lawyer represent you. After an accident, knowing how much your case could be worth isn’t readily available. An experienced lawyer from The Burrell Firm LLC can advise you and help you determine how much your case is worth.
Call us today at (504) 688-7728 to schedule a free initial consultation.
Contact a Monroe/West Monroe Personal Injury Attorney for More Information
If you have been injured in an auto accident, you should have a Monroe/West Monroe lawyer represent you. After an accident, knowing how much your case could be worth isn’t readily available. An experienced lawyer from The Burrell Firm LLC can advise you and help you determine how much your case is worth.
Call us today at (504) 688-7728 to schedule a free initial consultation.