How to get more money from a car accident with out a lawyer?
I had a car accident and a fracture my wrist. has been 3 month and they had to give me treatment and shots and it still hurst. the other party insurance only offered $8,000.00 for damage i heard they give more. how can i debate that with out a lawyer?
Hiya:
Having handled injury claims for years…the one thing I can tell you is that attorneys are really nothing more than a middle man.
You can negotiate for yourself and here are some things to help you out.
First – ideally you should not be trying to settle UNLESS you are DONE treating!
Now that that’s out of the way:
Know how much your bills are.
Keep track of ALL of your mileage (to and from doctor, physical therapy…to go get medications refilled…EVERYthing)
If your doctor hasn’t done so – ask for an impairment rating when you are DONE treating(some doctors may not do this) – This will be an indicator of what – if any – permanency you may have. If you have any permanency – your claim is worth more.
Keep track of all of your time off of work for appointments, etc.
Now….
If they’ve offered $8000…without knowing more I’d say one of two things:
1 – your bills are included in that $8000 which means they are likely under $4000 or
2 – your bills are not included – in which case the real offer is $8000 plus your bills (Unless you assigned a lein)
Does it include your mileage, medications, time off of work?
Can’t really say without knowing more so it’s hard to say if it is a fair offer.
So, gets your ducks together, educate yourself and call the adjuster back with an outline to SUPPORT what you THINK you should get paid. But – keep in mind – just because you want a million dollars…doesn’t mean you’re going to get it.
Goodluck!
~jifr!
$8k is fairly generous for a fractured wrist. If you get a lawyer and try for more you might see a couple extra $ in about 5 years or so. If you’re lucky. If they won’t go any higher, take the money and run.
References :
My husband was just in an accident. We hired an attorney right away. Most personal injury attorneys don’t charge you a fee until they win the case. And they can usually get a lot more out of an insurance company than $8,000. I wouldnt accept that. You have been suffering for more than 3 months. If you have any lost wages from this accident, you can get that back too.
My attorney will get a percentage of what he wins for us. Which in the long run will be a hell of a lot more than we would have gotten on our own.
If I were you, I’d call an attorney and see what they think. It usually takes a lot longer than 3 months to seek any medical or personal injury damages. They just want to screw you over, and figure if they offer you a chunk of money, you’ll go with it and take it. but do not take any money without speaking to an attorney first. They don’t charge fees for the initial consultation for personal injuries. good luck!
References :
best thing to do is talk to a lawyer..most give free consultations…you want to make sure that all of your medical bills are paid for by the at fault driver…then ask for pain & suffering. If the $8,000 will cover your medical bills and there is some left over…then take it…other then that you will have to get a lawyer
References :
personal experience
I really really encourage you to get a lawyer. Make sure you have all of your documentation from the hospital, doctors, etc. You need to have proof of your injury.
I would at least call a lawyer and get advice. It couldn’t hurt!
If you are very patient, you could get more money from your settlement by hiring a good attorney. You will have to pay the attorney, of course, when you win the case. You can find a lawyer who will take your case on contingency- meaning that you won’t have to pay the lawyer unless you win your case. However, it won’t be cheap. The lawyer may take about 40% of the total settlement amount. But let’s think about it:
If the insurance company agrees to give you $20,000 for your pain, suffering, medical bills, etc- that would mean that you would actually get $12,000, and your attorney would get $8,000.
You just have to prove that you sustained a serious injury. I would not recommend that you go it alone. Find a reputable lawyer. Good luck to you.
References :
I’m a paralegal.
Hiya:
Having handled injury claims for years…the one thing I can tell you is that attorneys are really nothing more than a middle man.
You can negotiate for yourself and here are some things to help you out.
First – ideally you should not be trying to settle UNLESS you are DONE treating!
Now that that’s out of the way:
Know how much your bills are.
Keep track of ALL of your mileage (to and from doctor, physical therapy…to go get medications refilled…EVERYthing)
If your doctor hasn’t done so – ask for an impairment rating when you are DONE treating(some doctors may not do this) – This will be an indicator of what – if any – permanency you may have. If you have any permanency – your claim is worth more.
Keep track of all of your time off of work for appointments, etc.
Now….
If they’ve offered $8000…without knowing more I’d say one of two things:
1 – your bills are included in that $8000 which means they are likely under $4000 or
2 – your bills are not included – in which case the real offer is $8000 plus your bills (Unless you assigned a lein)
Does it include your mileage, medications, time off of work?
Can’t really say without knowing more so it’s hard to say if it is a fair offer.
So, gets your ducks together, educate yourself and call the adjuster back with an outline to SUPPORT what you THINK you should get paid. But – keep in mind – just because you want a million dollars…doesn’t mean you’re going to get it.
Goodluck!
~jifr!
References :
Insurance professional 10+ years