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Fair compensation for pain and suffering minor fender bender.
- Thread starter Cool
- Start date
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PayrollHRGuy
Senior Member
Payment for the doctor's visit and any Rx you had to buy.
quincy
Senior Member
Have you contacted your auto insurer to report your accident?
Trying to have any of us guess at any figure is not likely to help you much. I do recommend that you wait awhile to make sure that your “minor back pain” is not more serious.
There's no such thing as "fair." I could make an argument that $0 is appropriate for a "minor fender bender" with only a single "doctor visit for minor back pain." I'd be quite surprised if the insurer offered you more than a few hundred on top of payment of medical/Rx bill(s).
adjusterjack
Senior Member
I agree with the others. Your claim is likely worth a few hundred in go-away money.
However, I once got rear-ended and got $700 with no doctor visits and $10 worth of Tylenol.
This is not legal advice. My many years in the insurance industry suggests the following.
Make sure you are fully recovered and pain free with no medication for at least two months to make sure there are no residual issues. Whiplash (soft tissue) aches and pains sometimes hide more serious issues so don't be in too much of a hurry to talk money.
When you are ready to talk money with the adjuster don't ask for an offer as you will be offered peanuts and there won't be much wiggle room. Ask for an amount. I know, you don't know what your claim is worth. Doesn't matter. Nobody ever gets what they "think" it's worth.
Don't ask for pie in the sky. You don't want to put your adjuster's back to the wall. And don't threaten lawsuit or lawyer because your adjuster will know darn well you won't follow through on such a small claim and no attorney is likely to take it on a contingency.
I'm not going to suggest a number.
You pick one and I'll tell you what I think of it from an adjuster's point of view.
Just Blue
Senior Member
Do you have a Personal Injury Attorney?
adjusterjack
Senior Member
$4kI agree with the others. Your claim is likely worth a few hundred in go-away money.
However, I once got rear-ended and got $700 with no doctor visits and $10 worth of Tylenol.
This is not legal advice. My many years in the insurance industry suggests the following.
Make sure you are fully recovered and pain free with no medication for at least two months to make sure there are no residual issues. Whiplash (soft tissue) aches and pains sometimes hide more serious issues so don't be in too much of a hurry to talk money.
When you are ready to talk money with the adjuster don't ask for an offer as you will be offered peanuts and there won't be much wiggle room. Ask for an amount. I know, you don't know what your claim is worth. Doesn't matter. Nobody ever gets what they "think" it's worth.
Don't ask for pie in the sky. You don't want to put your adjuster's back to the wall. And don't threaten lawsuit or lawyer because your adjuster will know darn well you won't follow through on such a small claim and no attorney is likely to take it on a contingency.
I'm not going to suggest a number.
You pick one and I'll tell you what I think of it from an adjuster's point of view.
LdiJ
Senior Member
You aren't going to get anywhere near that. The adjuster will think you are a fool for even asking.
PayrollHRGuy
Senior Member
Not going to happen.
adjusterjack
Senior Member
I wouldn't be quick to say no, without details.
What's your justification for $4,000?
You will need a good story to get even close to that, so let's see the story.
How much were your med bills and what did they entail?
And did you lose any time from work for which you did not get paid or for which you got PTO?
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Is that just for "pain & suffering," or does that also include the doctor's bill?
Bali Hai Again
Active Member
I was rear-ended only once. The rear license plate bracket was bent and the light bulb and socket had to be replaced. Plastic bumper had a couple scratches easily fixed with touch up paint. I was satisfied with $450.
Taxing Matters
Overtaxed Member
That's a joke, right?
My firm has helped out people on occasion who had relatively small claims just to help ensure that they'd not otherwise get railroaded by the insurance adjuster's low ball numbers. We send a letter to the insurance company and surprise, surprise, the offer starts to become more realistic. I don't do that work of course, that's my personal injury colleagues. But my point is that it is not as ridiculous a suggestion as you think.
Taxing Matters
Overtaxed Member
Pain and suffering is a very hard thing to put a number on. The extent of injury makes a huge difference, as well as what the other damages are in the case. Quite often a certain percent of the other damages (say one-third) will be used in accidents with large liability. Small accidents with minor injuries don't get much in pain and suffering absent something unusual. You can consult a PI attorney if you want. Most give free or low cost consultations. Perhaps you'll find a firm willing to at least help you bargain a bit with the insurance company for a reasonable fee. At the least you may come away with what it is realistic to get in your case.