One of the documents the insurance adjuster will attempt to get you to sign is the ‘Release of All Claims’ Form in Arkansas. This form is often included as part of a settlement agreement and it is a release of liability. Essentially, this form releases the other party from fault. When you sign this form, you are releasing your claim and stating that your differences have been resolved.
Insurance companies will often demand that you to sign this document before they will pay you any money. This protects the insurance company from further litigation regarding this car accident. It states that you are choosing to waive your rights to future claims on this accident and have accepted the settlement they’ve offered as adequate compensation.
Most ‘Release of All Claims’ Forms will include the following information:
Being involved in a car accident is a scary and confusing time for many drivers. In the blink of an eye, you may suddenly find yourself struggling with unimaginable injuries and a car that has sustained serious damage or is even totaled. During this time, insurance companies often come calling, looking to protect themselves from liability and looking for any way to reduce their payouts. They may pressure you into signing lots of documents and forms by claiming that these forms are “routine” or “just a formality.” They may even claim that you cannot collect compensation from them without signing these forms and documents. Never sign a release of all claims form without first speaking to an experienced and skilled Arkansas attorney.
When you sign an ‘All Claims Release’ Form in Arkansas, you are releasing the liable party and their insurance company from the following:
You are giving up your right to receive further payments from any injury or damages that stem from this accident. Even if you later discover that your injuries are more severe or if you discover damages you didn’t realize you sustain, then you would not be able to collect more money. The settlement you agreed to is the final amount you are able to obtain.
When you sign the release form, you are also giving up your right to file a personal injury lawsuit against the insurance company and the insured driver who is at fault.
Signing the release form also agrees that no one is ‘at fault’ for the accident. You are releasing the other party from fault and agreeing to the terms outlined in the settlement.
A Release of All Claims in Arkansas typically reaches far beyond the settlement check itself. Depending on how it is written, the release may waive your bodily injury claims, including current and past medical expenses, lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering connected to the wreck. It may also release claims against the insured driver personally, even in situations where the insurance payout falls short of covering your total losses.
The release can extend to the insurance company as well, which often means giving up any right to challenge how the insurer handled your claim, including allegations of bad faith. Perhaps most importantly, it typically forecloses future claims arising from the accident, covering complications, additional treatment, or new symptoms that surface later but trace back to the same crash. Because the release can reach this far, it deserves a careful, line-by-line review rather than a quick glance at the settlement number. Our attorneys at Rainwater, Holt & Sexton read these documents in full so you understand exactly whom you are releasing and what you are giving up before you sign anything.
In many cases, yes. Because these releases are typically written broadly, they can bar you from pursuing compensation for injuries that were not diagnosed, did not fully develop, or were not yet understood at the time you signed. Soft tissue injuries, spinal damage, and traumatic brain injuries do not always reveal their full severity right away, and once the release is signed, discovering a worse diagnosis later usually does not reopen your case.
This is one of the biggest risks of settling too quickly. Before agreeing to any release in Arkansas, it is worth waiting until your treating physician can speak with confidence about your prognosis, or at least until you have a clear medical opinion about whether your condition has stabilized. Our attorneys at Rainwater, Holt & Sexton work with your medical providers to help make sure a settlement reflects the true, long-term cost of your injuries before you give up the right to ask for more.
After an accident, you are undoubtedly ready to receive a check from the insurance company. However, the insurance company is counting on this urgency after an accident and they often take advantage of car accident victims during this time. They may use a “take it or leave it” approach to pressure injured accident victims into settling quickly and signing away their rights. When you feel pressured by the insurance company, know that there is always room for negotiation in these cases. Don’t feel pressured into accepting a settlement quickly. Take the time to discuss your case with an attorney and review all of your legal options before you agree to anything.
After a car accident, know what you’re signing and how this could affect your future and your ability to collect the money you truly need. Before signing an ‘All Claims Release’ Form, know that all damages related to the Arkansas accident are fully covered. This may mean waiting until your injuries are fully healed or until the full extent of your injuries is known. Once you sign this form, you will not be able to go back and make additional claims.
Before you sign, take time to review the document with the same care you would give to any legal contract. Consider the following:
If any of these details seem unclear or missing, do not sign until an Arkansas attorney has reviewed the release on your behalf.
Yes. The release is a negotiable legal document, not a form you must accept as written. If certain language is too broad, such as releasing parties who were not involved in the accident or attempting to waive claims unrelated to the crash, an attorney can push back and request revisions before you sign.
Negotiation can also focus on timing. If your medical treatment is ongoing, your attorney may request that the release specifically address only the damages known at the time of settlement, or hold off on final signing until treatment concludes. At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, we have spent years negotiating with insurance companies across Arkansas, and we know which provisions are standard and which ones overreach. Let us review any release before you sign so the final agreement actually reflects a fair resolution of your claim in Arkansas.
After an accident, injured victims need a law firm on their side that can protect them when negotiating with insurance companies. The insurance company is not on your side after an accident, and signing forms quickly is often a mistake for many injured accident victims. At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, our car accident attorneys want to help you make the best decisions after an accident, and that starts with getting to know you and your injuries, so we can protect you during negotiations.
No matter where you live, our attorneys are ready to assist you. With offices throughout Arkansas — Little Rock, Springdale, Conway, Hot Springs, Bryant, Jacksonville, and Jonesboro — our lawyers are easily accessible from the moment you are injured. Contact Rainwater, Holt & Sexton Injury Lawyers today to discuss what a “Release of All Claims” form is in Arkansas.
Fill out a free contact request form, which only takes a minute, or dial (501) 868-2500 to tell us your story.
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