By Jeffrey Koenig
Personal Injury Attorney, The Law Offices of Spar & Bernstein
Professionally, there are few things I enjoy more than calling or writing a judge to advise that I’ve reached a settlement with my adversary.
That usually means a case’s end of the line.
It’s simply a matter of drafting some final paperwork, making sure to cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s, and in a few weeks, well, I’m gleefully handing over a fat check to my client.
But, for the client, relieved and thankful, receipt of money is just the beginning to bettering their lives.
In some case, the money means continuing crucial therapy after a horrific accident.
In cases where clients suffer from an inability to perform activities of daily living, the money represents a home health attendant.
In cases where clients endure the destruction of property, the money means getting it fixed—or better—getting it anew!
But let it be known that the receipt of money does come with a caveat: Make it last.
If you happen to tell the whole world that you just settled a big case, it won’t be long before your long lost Uncle Fred comes out of the woodwork and asks you for a loan—or your friend who owes you more than your settlement asks to borrow some cash yet once again.
It’s for these reasons that the best practice for you when you receive your money is to keep this information on the hush-hush, totally private.
This money is there for a reason: to return your life as close as possible to the way it was before your accident.
So, please, use the money wisely.
It’ll serve you better in the long run.
It’ll make having won the case all the more rewarding.
