If you have recently been involved in a car accident, the insurance company might have made a settlement offer to you. You could be tempted to go ahead and sign the paperwork so that the check will be released, but there are a few things that you will want to do first. These are some of the first steps that you should take before accepting an insurance settlement offer:

1. See Your Doctor

It is always a good idea to see a doctor after a car accident, and it is particularly important to do so before accepting a settlement. You could have extensive injuries that you aren't even aware of yet, which could impact whether or not your settlement is actually a good offer. Your doctor can help determine if you have any injuries and can help you get the right treatment for these injuries if they do exist.

2. Calculate Your Costs

Even though the number that is being offered to you in your settlement might seem big, it might not be quite as much money as you think. In fact, if you were injured in your car accident, there is the possibility that the settlement offer will not even cover your injury-related expenses. It's a good idea to sit down and calculate all of your medical bills so that you can see how much needs to be paid. You can then look into things like the future cost of your medical care due to your injury and the cost that might go along with missing work or having to change careers. Then, you can get a better idea of whether or not the settlement that you have been offered is fair.

3. Work with an Attorney

If you have not yet hired a car wreck attorney, it is definitely a good idea to have a legal professional take a look at your settlement offer. Experienced car accident attorneys deal with individuals, insurance companies, and insurance settlements all the time. They often have a better idea of what is considered to be a fair settlement and what is not. A good lawyer can help you determine if the settlement that you have been offered is sufficient and can help you fight for more money if necessary.

As you can see, it's usually not a good idea to take the settlement that is being offered to you without putting some thought into it first. If you take these three steps first, you can help ensure that you don't make a mistake when accepting your insurance settlement.