Quick summary: If an insurance adjuster asks you to sign a “full and final” release while you still need medical treatment, signing usually ends your right to recover any future medical costs or other damages related to the incident. Before you sign, document your current condition, estimate future care needs, consider alternatives to a blanket release, and consult an attorney if you have any doubt.

Detailed answer — legal effects, risks, and practical steps under Oregon law

1) What a “full-and-final” settlement usually does

A “full-and-final” settlement commonly uses a release that says you accept a fixed amount in exchange for giving up all claims arising from the accident. In practical terms, that typically includes:

• Payment of the agreed settlement amount.
• Your execution of a release that prevents you from making additional claims later for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, or other damages tied to the same incident.

Because the release cuts off future legal claims related to the incident, if you accept it and later need more treatment or discover a new injury caused by the accident, you usually cannot get more money for those additional costs.

2) Why signing while still treating is risky

• Injuries evolve: Some injuries do not reveal their full extent until weeks or months later. Settling too early can leave you stuck with unpaid medical bills or unrecovered pain and loss.
• Repairing future losses is difficult: Courts generally enforce clear releases. Absent fraud, duress, or mutual mistake, it is hard to reopen a matter after you signed a full release.

3) Possible exceptions and limits

There are limited ways a settlement can be undone, but they are narrow. Claims may be reopened in rare situations such as:

• Fraud or misrepresentation by the insurer or the other party.
• The release contained a clerical error that both parties agree to correct.
• A court later determines the release was procured by unconscionable conduct.

Relying on these exceptions is risky and uncertain. You should not plan on reopening a released claim as a strategy to accept money now and seek more later.

4) Practical alternatives to signing a blanket release

• Delay signing until you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI) or until your treating providers say additional treatment is unlikely.
• Negotiate a limited release that covers known, past medical expenses and lost wages but preserves rights to future medical bills connected to the incident.
• Use structured language or a reservation of rights for future medical expenses — for example, a release that excludes future medical expenses for a defined period or until MMI.
• Ask the insurer for a settlement that sets aside or escrow funds for anticipated future care rather than a full release.

5) Steps to take right away if an adjuster makes a full-and-final offer while you still treat

1. Do not sign any release immediately. Request the offer in writing and ask for the exact release language and a breakdown of how the insurer calculated the payment.
2. Get a current treating-provider opinion about your diagnosis, prognosis, and likely future care (written if possible).
3. Document all medical bills, treatment notes, and lost-wage records so you can estimate future costs.
4. Consider a limited release or ask the insurer to pay medical providers directly or place funds in escrow for future treatment.
5. If the offer seems low relative to current and expected future costs, consult an attorney before signing. An attorney can help you decide whether to negotiate or reject the offer.

6) Time limits and other legal considerations in Oregon

Even if you do not settle, you must be aware of Oregon’s time limits for filing claims in court. Oregon’s statutes set deadlines for bringing personal injury suits; if you wait too long without settling, you may lose the right to sue later. For the general limitations law chapter, see Oregon Revised Statutes, chapter 12: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors012.html

Also be aware of Oregon insurance law and consumer protections that govern claims handling practices. For general information about insurance consumer protections and how the state regulates insurers, see the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Division of Financial Regulation: https://dfr.oregon.gov/

7) If you already signed a release

• Collect everything: preserve copies of the release, payments, and all medical records and communications with the insurer.
• Talk to a lawyer immediately. If the insurer misled you or failed to disclose material facts, an attorney can evaluate whether any narrow remedies might exist.
• Contact your medical providers about billing and potential liens; some providers can pursue payment directly from the defendant or through a separate agreement, but that depends on provider policies and any assignment you signed.

Helpful hints — practical tips to protect your rights

• Never sign a settlement release until you fully understand what rights you give up.
• Ask for the exact release language before you accept any money. Generic promises are not enough.
• Obtain a written medical prognosis about likely future care and costs before negotiating a release.
• Consider asking the insurer to pay past medical bills and leave future medicals open, or to fund a medical escrow.
• Keep copies of every bill, medical record, and written communication with the insurer.
• If the claim involves significant medical care or lost wages, consult a personal injury attorney. Many contingency-fee lawyers offer a free case review and do not get paid unless you recover.
• If you feel the insurer pressured you unfairly, file a complaint with Oregon’s Division of Financial Regulation: https://dfr.oregon.gov/