Settled my case in 4 months, lawyer said I was crazy for not waiting

Last month I took a settlement at 55% of what my first lawyer wanted to fight for. He kept telling me to hold out, that the insurance company would fold after discovery. I switched to a smaller firm in Fresno and they had a check in my hand by week 16. My old lawyer called it a rookie move, but I needed the money for rent and my kid's braces. Longer doesn't always mean better when you're drowning in bills. Anyone else take an early offer and feel like they dodged a fight they couldn't afford?

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hugomurray15d ago

Remember that 55% number is probably before the lawyer's cut, so you might have walked with even less than half of what was on the table. Not saying you made the wrong call, but it's worth checking the breakdown on your settlement statement to see what fees came out. In my experience, a lot of folks focus on that headline percentage and miss the fine print on costs and expenses. Either way, paying rent and getting braces beats a bigger check three years from now if you can't actually wait for it.