Home > Research Legal Advice > Car / Auto Accident > What kind of settlement is fair for a car accident?
Asked 6 months ago - Floyd, VA
FlagA drunk, uninsured, unlicensed driver pulled out in front of my vehicle causing an accident...then ran away from the scene in his car. He was caught. My husband suffered a cracked sternum, my 5 year old Grandson had a little bruising and suffered stomach pain for days and I have a broken foot and chest pain from seat belt and bruising. Car was total loss. What would be a fair settlement to ask for?
A "fair" settlement depends on more factors than this space permits. What I can share with confidence, that you will almost certainly receive far less without a quality personal injury litigation attorney than without one. Study after study confirms this. If you don't believe me, then ask yourself why the insurance companies tell people not to use lawyers. Good luck.
The value of a case depends on a number of factors such as the liability of the parties, whether alcohol was involved, the length and type of treatment, whether scarring exists, whether a doctor has opined permanent injury and the amount of coverage, among other things. It is best to obtain local legal counsel from a personal injury attorney who can maximize your fair recovery. If you try to negotiate this yourself, the insurance company will never compensate you as you should be, even when attorneys fees are considered. You should consult with an attorney immediately. Initial consultations are usually free. good luck!
I agree with the other attorneys here. There is no flat, easy answer to how much your case is worth. You need a personal injury attorney, who practices in your area. A lawyer will be able to assess your case, negotiate with the insurance company and advise you, accordingly. The insurance company knows what it is doing. You need someone on your side who knows the law and can fight for you.
no reasonably competent attorney would answer this question without a full review of all the facts, including the medical records and medical bills. It looks like you should look for an attorney who will, for a flat fee, review your materials and answer the question. The problem is that many attorneys will not want to do this unless they're getting one third of the settlement. we do offer this kind of review for flat fee and will be happy to chat with you about it. We are in northern Virginia. You may or may not be able to settle your case. A lot may depend on how much insurance is actually available. You should also be aware that if a health insurance company paid any of the bills they may need to be repaid. It's not quite as simple as it used to be.
I agree with the other attorneys. Some cases can be settled for small ammounts, others larger. There used to be a rule of thumb (multiply the damages in a case by factor x and you get a good result). However, now the law is so complex and complicated that you need to speak to a qualified attorney about this case.
Also a good test for a lawyer in this area is to have them explain to you the case of McAfee v. Boczar - which just came down a week ago. If they don't know the case, or haven't heard of it - then they haven't kept up with the new laws. If they can explain it to you, consider hiring them to assist you in your case.
Don't speak legalese? We define thousands of terms in plain English.
Browse our legal dictionary
