Sometimes insurance companies will try to get you to agree to a settlement early on, and this can be tempting and may seem like the easiest solution. Most likely, this is not in your best interest and involving a car accident attorney will be wise for many reasons. One important thing to keep in mind is to not settle until you've completed all of your medical treatment. The reason for this is that once you've settled your claim with the insurance company, the insurance company will require you to sign a release. The effect of the release is to clear the insurance company and the other driver from any further responsibility. The problem is, if you wake up the next day with a new symptom, even if you are convinced it was caused by the traffic crash, you will have no further recourse and will have full financial responsibility for any additional treatment. Therefore, if the insurance company is offering you some money quickly in exchange for a release, it is usually unwise to do so.