Insurance settlement question...
07-20-2005, 06:52 AM
#11
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She has 3 years from the accident to file (make claim) regarding
any bodily injury; after that, she's out of luck the claim is over.
"one-time payment that was done to cover the "inconvenience" of the accident." That's just plain BS. What the adjuster is saying is, it is cheaper to throw you a couple bucks at you then keep the file open for 3 years.
Loss In Value of car because of accident. Now that is a real claim. Was the car undamaged prior to accident? How much did repairs cost? If the car was a virgin, you want to take it to a dealer, speak to the used car manager, have him look at the car, show him pictures of the damage and a copy of the repair estimate and then provide you with a written statement as to how much the fact it has been in an accident reduces its trade-in value. These are damages (loss in value of the car) that do not show up in the repair cost.
Settling an injury claim. As others had stated, what is the prognosis? Sounds like soft-tissue injury only (nothing broken). I would have a doctor look at her and see what he thinks of prognosis. Irregardless, I would wait until 2.5 years from the accident before closing the injury claim to be safe. What if; years from now she has arthritic pain in the area injured, will it be caused by or increased by this injury? As you wait, the offers will keep increasing.
Rental Car bill. They owe reimbursement as well.
Fact. An accident can count against your insurance history even if you actually made no claim in many cases. The insurance company is interested in number of incidents you are involved in; not particularly how many claims they pay out.
Yes, without nothing much about the facts here, the amount to settle this claim (finish it forever) is probably several thousand dollars.
Can an attorney get you more money? A good one yes. At this point however, you don't know what the remaining claim is worth.
"one-time payment that was done to cover the "inconvenience" of the accident." That's just plain BS. What the adjuster is saying is, it is cheaper to throw you a couple bucks at you then keep the file open for 3 years.
Loss In Value of car because of accident. Now that is a real claim. Was the car undamaged prior to accident? How much did repairs cost? If the car was a virgin, you want to take it to a dealer, speak to the used car manager, have him look at the car, show him pictures of the damage and a copy of the repair estimate and then provide you with a written statement as to how much the fact it has been in an accident reduces its trade-in value. These are damages (loss in value of the car) that do not show up in the repair cost.
Settling an injury claim. As others had stated, what is the prognosis? Sounds like soft-tissue injury only (nothing broken). I would have a doctor look at her and see what he thinks of prognosis. Irregardless, I would wait until 2.5 years from the accident before closing the injury claim to be safe. What if; years from now she has arthritic pain in the area injured, will it be caused by or increased by this injury? As you wait, the offers will keep increasing.
Rental Car bill. They owe reimbursement as well.
Fact. An accident can count against your insurance history even if you actually made no claim in many cases. The insurance company is interested in number of incidents you are involved in; not particularly how many claims they pay out.
Yes, without nothing much about the facts here, the amount to settle this claim (finish it forever) is probably several thousand dollars.
Can an attorney get you more money? A good one yes. At this point however, you don't know what the remaining claim is worth.
07-20-2005, 08:23 AM
#13
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Your comment is valid. Insurance companies are not stupid; they simply
count on consumers being stupid. A "sore back, neck" can include partially torn tendons or ligaments. . . as one gets older. . . these previous injury sites is where arthritic problems can and do develop. Having such pain you last 20 years of your life must be worth more then a couple hundred bucks.
07-20-2005, 08:40 AM
#14
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Totally agreed. I know that insurance companies start low becuause most people don't know...
any better.
In this case, it may be correct for her to recieve much more than $500. This could escalate into a reoccuring problem. I just hear about people getting money for injuries that don't deserve it.
In this case, it may be correct for her to recieve much more than $500. This could escalate into a reoccuring problem. I just hear about people getting money for injuries that don't deserve it.
07-20-2005, 09:32 AM
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DONT get a lawyer, all they do is **** off the insurance company and take 50%
I was a passanger in a car that was rear-ended 4 years ago and received a settlement of 3 grand. 200 to 500 is a joke.
Did your wife go to the doctor post accident, receive any treatment? Mine screwed me up so bad I was on muscle relaxers and chiropractic visits for 6 months..
Did your wife go to the doctor post accident, receive any treatment? Mine screwed me up so bad I was on muscle relaxers and chiropractic visits for 6 months..
07-20-2005, 09:37 AM
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Lawyers are like any other profession. . . there are good ones and bad ones. . .
P.S. finding a good one is no simple matter.
BTW- what would you have received if there had been no lawyer? And, the minute you hire a good lawyer (without them even doing anything) your claim suddenly became worth more.
BTW- what would you have received if there had been no lawyer? And, the minute you hire a good lawyer (without them even doing anything) your claim suddenly became worth more.
07-20-2005, 09:48 AM
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The settlement was w/o a lawyer, sorry my original post was confusing
I did however, threaten to get one to the claims adjuster on numerous occasions. Sometimes a simple "am I going to need to call an attorney here?" can really get things moving 
.
.
07-20-2005, 10:10 AM
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Here's # 1 tip for you. Experienced adjusters when hearing the ole
"I am going to hire a lawyer" will know you most likely will not hire one. Why? Because most people who hire a lawyer do so in the beginning before they ever talk to the adjuster.
Tip #2. When they say; "I am going to hire a lawyer because I know if I do, I will get X bucks" will never hire one. Why? These people have been to see at least one lawyer and that is what they were told the lawyer could get them. Now they are naive enough to think they can get the same amount without a lawyer. And second, if they were going to hire one they would have.
More Free Tip from the Ricco Compound.
Tip #2. When they say; "I am going to hire a lawyer because I know if I do, I will get X bucks" will never hire one. Why? These people have been to see at least one lawyer and that is what they were told the lawyer could get them. Now they are naive enough to think they can get the same amount without a lawyer. And second, if they were going to hire one they would have.
More Free Tip from the Ricco Compound.
07-20-2005, 12:15 PM
#20
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OMG. You sound like a total fool. Could you be more presumptous?
Hey, No Brazil.
First off, you don't know me (though I know you), so making statements like "you are why insurance premiums are so high" is total BS and ridiculous.
I have 19 insurance policies currently in place, and have never sued a person in my life nor have I had an injury claim accident. So your assertion is COMPLETELY FALSE and INACCURATE, let alone insulting.
$200-500 does not even cover many peoples time off work to get to the doctor once, alone twice. It doesn't cover their health insurance deductable, which is a minimum $500 for most people who have health insurance (we are not even sure the person in question does).
If you've ever had back problems, as I have, you'd certainly pay $200-500 to make them go away. Not once, BUT EACH TIME you are laid up in bed.
Have you taken into consideration the stress, pain, fear and lost time the person in question may have suffered? The amount of paperwork they had to file. The court appearnace they may have had or will have to make. $200-500 is fair for this?
I hope you never get rear ended, have your car horribly damaged, live sore for a week, visit the doctor twice, take days off work, have to fill out accident reports, watch your insurance go up (yes, in most states the at fault issue means nothing, it's how high a risk you are. Don't believe me, get in three non-fault accidents in a year and see what happens to your insurance), meet with adjusters and just pain go through the hassle. What is that worth to you? $200-500? Not me, not most people.
As for raising insurance rates, PEOPLE WHO REAR END PEOPLE cause rates to raise far more than people like myself, who have 19 policies in place totallign $25,000+ in premiums and have never sued a soul.
You can make your inaccurate assumptions about me and falsley accuse me of being the reason insurance rates are high. But I can accurately make the assertion that you are a fabricating fool who throws his opinion out in antagonistic posts with NONE of the experience necessary to judge the subject of your post.
Mike S
First off, you don't know me (though I know you), so making statements like "you are why insurance premiums are so high" is total BS and ridiculous.
I have 19 insurance policies currently in place, and have never sued a person in my life nor have I had an injury claim accident. So your assertion is COMPLETELY FALSE and INACCURATE, let alone insulting.
$200-500 does not even cover many peoples time off work to get to the doctor once, alone twice. It doesn't cover their health insurance deductable, which is a minimum $500 for most people who have health insurance (we are not even sure the person in question does).
If you've ever had back problems, as I have, you'd certainly pay $200-500 to make them go away. Not once, BUT EACH TIME you are laid up in bed.
Have you taken into consideration the stress, pain, fear and lost time the person in question may have suffered? The amount of paperwork they had to file. The court appearnace they may have had or will have to make. $200-500 is fair for this?
I hope you never get rear ended, have your car horribly damaged, live sore for a week, visit the doctor twice, take days off work, have to fill out accident reports, watch your insurance go up (yes, in most states the at fault issue means nothing, it's how high a risk you are. Don't believe me, get in three non-fault accidents in a year and see what happens to your insurance), meet with adjusters and just pain go through the hassle. What is that worth to you? $200-500? Not me, not most people.
As for raising insurance rates, PEOPLE WHO REAR END PEOPLE cause rates to raise far more than people like myself, who have 19 policies in place totallign $25,000+ in premiums and have never sued a soul.
You can make your inaccurate assumptions about me and falsley accuse me of being the reason insurance rates are high. But I can accurately make the assertion that you are a fabricating fool who throws his opinion out in antagonistic posts with NONE of the experience necessary to judge the subject of your post.
Mike S