proper compensation for auto accidents? (NRR)
knewjak
1,231 Posts
I was in an auto accident a few months ago and its time to receive some 'pain and suffering' compensation from the opposing insurance company. I'm having a hard time deciding if what they offered me was fair or not. So I'm calling upon my fellow strutters to see if they have dealt with a similar situation and could offer me some advice.More details: The accident wasnt bad at all. I was rear ended (no homo) and there was only $200 dammage to my bumper. My neck was hurting though, and I saw two doctors who said 'yes, you had minor whiplash, but nothing serious or permanent'. It has been three months since the accident and I'm now feeling fine. I spent some money on doctor co-pays, and lost about 3 days of work. All of this cost me approx. $500 (this includes lost time from work). Upon hearing this, the opposing insurance company said ok 'we'll reimburse you the $500, plus give another $500 for pain and suffering'. However, I did not accept this deal, telling them that I was going to sleep on it. Have any of you dealt with something similar? Do you think $1000 is fair compensation? And don't suggest me to fake neck pains, I'm doing this legit but I want whats fair.thanks,k
Comments
i'd take the $1000 and be happy with it. flip it around, and say you had a high deductible. wouldn't you be pissed if someone with a sore neck for a little while to try to get more than $500 of your money?
sounds like you're making a $500 profit out of the whole thing. take it and run.
profit? his neck is fucked up. Call a lawyer. They will get you that cash. Make insurance companies pay you as much as possible. they are the scum of the earth.
no, my neck is not fucked up. thats the thing, but the whole expierence was a hassle and its that 'hassle' that Im being compensated for.
-k
dang, i always thought tow truck drivers were the scum of the earth
When lawyers do pro bono work it's generally for non-profits or truly indigent individuals; not for people looking to sue an insurance company that can't quite afford their billables.
Sorry Faux, you are right. What I meant to say was one of the only pay if you win type of lawyers.
I really need to work pro bono back into my vocabulary (and actually use it correctly).
That actually describes most plaintiffs' attorneys; they generally work on a contingency basis, and there is no shortage of them.
Are you saying you didn't see a doctor about that dude?
Sad as it is, it is ultimately us the customer who foots the bill.
what? because of higher rates or something? Is this like the dont steal from us so we can keep prices low argument?
Personally, Im working through one of these bullshit claims out here and Im currently real pissed at mercury insurance. I was hit twice in 3 days, once by a mac truck, and the other time by a car with nobody in it that rolled out of a gas station (true story).
Anyways, they are trying to say the truck accident never happened cause the damages dont match up or something, but I think they just showed the insurance company a different truck from the company.
the bitch of it is that in california they dont take a police report unless theres a personal injury. I was fine, so I didnt make a fuss, and now I got screwed.
so thats what you get for being honest and trying to deal with insurance companies in a rational and respectful manner. Just get a lawyer and make those fuckers eat it.
Right, cause I felt fine in a few days. Not even slight pain. I just didn't think it would be worth it for the hassle when I was sure I was ok.
just my 2 cents
http://www.fightforyou.com/
peace, stein. . .
Pretty much, yeah.
It's a sad but true fact and a way for the insurance companies to continue to jack their prices up.
that's what i'm sayin.
I guess it depends on how injured you are.. if you have a sore neck for a couple of days and it disappears.. well, maybe take the money and run. But if there's any chance that it might get worse in the long run you better take it real seriously and fight for whatever you can get.
if you're actually seriously injured then that's not what i'm talking about at all. but if your neck was just a little sore for just a few days then pursuing it just perpetuates all the bullshit.
hope your brother comes out all right by the way.
Thanks. It seems like every time he's getting a little better the doctors discover something else.. First they thought the injuries were strictly in his leg (4 breaks). Then they discovered that his shoulder was slightly damaged. And today they call saying that they want to do an epideral because he might have a herniated disc.
A fucking nightmare!
The good news is that they finally indicted the guy on a felony. The basic rundown is that my brother was legally crossing the street in Times Square, a dude hit him and then just got out and ran away. We just found this out, but apparently the guy went to a t-shirt vendor, put on a NYPD t-shirt and baseball cap and then returned to the scene 20 minutes later. Oh yeah, and he left a passenger in the car, too, the dumbass.
It turns out that the driver has a suspended license and is years behind on his child support payments. My brother probably won't see a penny from this dude.
well put.