Author Topic: Accident  (Read 17186 times)

William

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Accident
« on: April 09, 2013, 06:27:17 PM »
Hmmmmm
« Last Edit: August 23, 2013, 05:04:47 PM by William »

Paul der Krake

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2013, 07:11:22 PM »
This is a slippery slope to pure greed. What kind of injuries did you sustain? If I remember your previous thread correctly, it sounded like you were very upset emotionally but largely unhurt. $750 is plenty for a couple nights' unrest and a few hours on the phone, IMHO.

Maybe it's because it takes a lot to phase me, but I'd just thank my lucky star and be happy to be getting those dollars.

Self-employed-swami

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2013, 07:18:48 PM »
Have you been examined by a doctor, chiropractor or physiotherapist?  If you've got any medical bills, or other expenses, factor that into your settlement request.

arebelspy

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2013, 07:19:55 PM »
You deserve whatever amount it takes to make you whole again.
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William

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2013, 08:00:01 PM »
Thanks for the replies.  Progressive plays pretty dirty so I am working hard not to be taken advantage of.  I could rant on but it's better not to. 

They are paying all my chiropractic bills, they have my car now in return for a check, and the "pain and discomfort" number is my biggest concern.  As of now, I am going to add up the hours I have spent dealing with this mess and see what that comes out to.  Perhaps I can use MMM's $35/hour rate and see how that goes.  Probably not well in this instance.

Rangifer

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #5 on: April 09, 2013, 08:13:04 PM »
Unless you end up with some debilitating injury, pain and suffering is typically 3x your medical bills.

sol

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #6 on: April 09, 2013, 08:41:46 PM »
The use of the word "deserve" makes me uncomfortable. 

I don't think you "deserve" anything for being in a car accident, other than the cost of repairing/replacing your vehicle.  But you can probably get a bunch more, if you're greedy enough to work the system for maximum effect.

Personally, I wouldn't sleep well if I took advantage of an accident for personal financial gain because of some made up and unquantified amount of psychological distress I claimed to suffer.

arebelspy

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #7 on: April 09, 2013, 09:52:49 PM »
The use of the word "deserve" makes me uncomfortable. 

I don't think you "deserve" anything for being in a car accident, other than the cost of repairing/replacing your vehicle.  But you can probably get a bunch more, if you're greedy enough to work the system for maximum effect.

Personally, I wouldn't sleep well if I took advantage of an accident for personal financial gain because of some made up and unquantified amount of psychological distress I claimed to suffer.

Agreed.

I originally put deserve in quotes in my post, then edited it and removed them.  Because I do feel you deserve what is necessary to make you whole again.

Beyond that, no, you don't deserve anything.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
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Rangifer

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #8 on: April 09, 2013, 11:17:52 PM »
These guys are wrong. If you're in an injury accident, pain and suffering compensation is a real thing. I used to also think that it was bullshit until it happened to me. It's not. You guys should think of it more as compensation for all of the things you will not be able to do while you recover from your injury.
« Last Edit: April 09, 2013, 11:22:47 PM by Rangifer »

Ozstache

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2013, 04:42:11 AM »
The use of the word "deserve" makes me uncomfortable. 

I don't think you "deserve" anything for being in a car accident, other than the cost of repairing/replacing your vehicle.  But you can probably get a bunch more, if you're greedy enough to work the system for maximum effect.

Personally, I wouldn't sleep well if I took advantage of an accident for personal financial gain because of some made up and unquantified amount of psychological distress I claimed to suffer.

+1. Well said!

SwordGuy

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #10 on: April 10, 2013, 06:05:09 AM »
These guys are wrong. If you're in an injury accident, pain and suffering compensation is a real thing. I used to also think that it was bullshit until it happened to me. It's not. You guys should think of it more as compensation for all of the things you will not be able to do while you recover from your injury.

Self-inflicted psychological suffering because one is a wuss should not count in that equation.


Bill76

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #11 on: April 10, 2013, 07:21:49 AM »
I had a similar situation a few years ago.  I think the initial offer from the insurance company was car repairs, medical bills, and $500.  They paid for the repairs up front, but I didn't settle the rest of the claim until after I was satisfied that the pain in my neck wasn't going to be a long term issue.  We ended up settling for $5k minus the medical bills.  If I remember correctly, the net payment to me was around $2500.   This seemed reasonable for the annoyance factor involved, along with the hours off work for the doctor visits and the time away from my normal workout routine.

In most states, I think you have either six months or a year to settle the claim.  As long as your car is taken care of and your doctor bills are getting paid, I'd wait a few weeks before finalizing anything.

arebelspy

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #12 on: April 10, 2013, 07:42:31 AM »

Self-inflicted psychological suffering because one is a wuss should not count in that equation.

I wouldn't be so quick to assume that.

But if it IS that, yes, true.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
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Rangifer

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #13 on: April 10, 2013, 10:15:07 AM »
These guys are wrong. If you're in an injury accident, pain and suffering compensation is a real thing. I used to also think that it was bullshit until it happened to me. It's not. You guys should think of it more as compensation for all of the things you will not be able to do while you recover from your injury.

Self-inflicted psychological suffering because one is a wuss should not count in that equation.

No, I meant things like not being able to lift more than 5lbs without aggravating your injury. Not being able to do the yard work because you can't bend over (and consequently paying someone to do it). Stuff like that.

William

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #14 on: April 10, 2013, 07:01:59 PM »
I really lost some respect for the members of this forum while reading the responses to this thread.  Assuming I am being sissy?  Really?  Are we not on the Mr. Money Mustache forum?

It sounds like those of you who have not been in an accident like this have nothing positive to say and please feel free to ignore this thread.  Those of you who have given sound advice, I appreciate your time and thought.  Going through this process can be scary.  Early in the claim it seemed like my only ally was the lady at fault's insurance company.  That is definitely not the case.  All Progressive wants to do is get rid of me with as little cost to them as possible.  They play dirty at times so maybe my original post read a little like I was getting angry with them (which I am).

Perhaps I left too much emotion out of my first post.  I feel emotion is relative and a thread like this should be much more about the facts than my measure of personal grief inflicted.  I came looking for advice on what I should expect to be compensated for this claim.  While not greedy, I do not want to foolishly accept the first number they give me.

Seriously some of you?  Assuming I'm making things up?  "Deserve."  I'm sorry, maybe I should have used "demand" or "get away with" or "make off with" or "cash in on"!

These guys are wrong. If you're in an injury accident, pain and suffering compensation is a real thing. I used to also think that it was bullshit until it happened to me. It's not. You guys should think of it more as compensation for all of the things you will not be able to do while you recover from your injury.

Thank you for not simply agreeing with the class, Rangifer.  Groupthink is a terrible thing.  I wouldn't think there would be any pain and suffering nonsense either but once it happens.. it's real.

Reepekg

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #15 on: April 10, 2013, 07:57:11 PM »
I really lost some respect for the members of this forum while reading the responses to this thread.

+1

Add up the hours you spent on things you would not have spent them on if you were not in the accident, add to it expenses related to dealing with the accident, and use that as a starting point for negotiation. This has nothing to do with your toughness or psychology. It is an objective approach, which MMM normally uses for his time value calculations.

I wish you all the best in your recovery.
« Last Edit: April 10, 2013, 07:59:26 PM by Reepekg »

arebelspy

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #16 on: April 10, 2013, 08:10:51 PM »
Seriously some of you?  Assuming I'm making things up?  "Deserve."  I'm sorry, maybe I should have used "demand" or "get away with" or "make off with" or "cash in on"!

Think about the typical American.  Think about what you would have thought when hearing a story like this before your experience.  And yes, those latter phrases often have the same connotation as "what do I deserve?"

Any responses were made under that light, and I think most were reasonable.  If you take them with a charitable mindset, rather than an attack on you personally, I think you'll be able to see where the posters were coming from, based on both the wording used and the common "bilking" that occurs - neither of which is Mustachian.

Sorry for your pain, and, like I said, I hope you are set whole.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
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lucypie

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #17 on: April 10, 2013, 10:20:57 PM »
The question is not how much do you "deserve" for the fact you've been in a car crash.  The question should be what are you legally entitled to.  The answer to that question will change from state to state.  There is a lot of misinformation, mostly distributed by people who make a living out of convincing people they "deserve" more.  For example, the old "3 X medicals" may have worked 15-20 years ago, but in most places it simply doesn't hold true anymore. I think most people here agree you don't "deserve" anything just because you were in an accident.  However, you are entitled to be compensated for your property and personal damages.

So, the least subjective way to calculate what you may be legally entitled to is to consider your physical injuries as opposed to your sheer aggravation or your feelings about the whole situation.   What are your medical expenses?  Rightly or wrongly, chiropractic treatment is usually discounted somewhat.  Diagnostic tests may have run up the bills, but if nothing was seriously hurt, the higher bills don't translate to more pain and suffering or a higher settlement.  How long will you have to treat?  Are you fully recovered, or will recovery take a long time?  You should not consider settling until you have recovered or are at least confidant you have discovered all the injuries (but do find out how long you have to make a claim and don't miss it).  Are you going to need medical treatment in the future? If you had to miss work, what are your lost wages? Try to be as objective as possible.

 Good luck.  Glad you're alright.

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #18 on: April 10, 2013, 11:24:06 PM »
I really lost some respect for the members of this forum while reading the responses to this thread.  Assuming I am being sissy?  Really?  Are we not on the Mr. Money Mustache forum?

What goes around, comes around.  Re-read your original post, in which you say nothing about having sustained any sort of injury in the accident (bar a vague statement about the insurance company offering to pay any medical bills).  So what are we to conclude when you ask us what we think you "deserve"?  That what you deserve is perhaps a Mustachian face punch?

Yes, I have been in an auto accident, rear-ended at a stop sign by a guy with Progressive insurance, and yes, it's apparently SOP for them to offer to pay medical bills, even if you weren't actually injured.  (I wasn't.)  So add up the value of the car, any time off work, etc, and that's what you deserve.  Don't add anything for pain & suffering unless you honestly did suffer, to a degree that interferred with your normal activities.

Villanelle

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #19 on: April 11, 2013, 07:55:51 AM »
Wanting money for time lost, actual expenses incurred, etc., is perfectly respectable.  By all means, make sure your bills are covered and you are mode whole for what you lost.

Beyond that, what *exactly* is it that you want that money to cover?  What do you want to be compensated for?  You are asking how much you want to be compensated, which is what makes it sound like a money grab.  And if you just want money because someone is offering it and you feel confident that you can get a bigger number, then I'd say the harsh tone of some previous posters is warranted.  If you have real expenses (like time spend at doctor's appointments, work time lost for those appointments or due to physical issues, etc., then certainly you should ask that those things be covered, just as the damage to your car was covered.  But feeling sad because the car you loved is gone?  Not a real thing.  Wanting money because this lady was an idiot and her idiocy frustrates you?  Not reasonable.  If you are actually unable to sleep at night because you have anxiety over what occurred to you, then that's reasonable as well, and tack on the cost of half a dozen therapy appointments as well, if you think that's *truly* what you need to be made whole.

So calculate your real expenses and make sure they are covered. But if you just want a bigger number because the arbitrary $750 seems negotiable, then that is what is known as "greed". 

Self-employed-swami

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #20 on: April 11, 2013, 08:30:54 AM »
Dude, I rolled my truck in February, into a ditch, and wrote it off.  I climbed out, relatively unscathed, save a couple awesome leg bruises from the steering wheel, and some muscle stiffness/pain.

What I got from insurance is the following:

-A more than fair settlement for the value of my work truck.
-Chiropractic and massage treatments covered.
-A payout for expenses incurred (just around $800, as I was 1000km from home at the time of the accident, and they covered my trip home, and shipping all my work stuff back)
-A rental car until my claim was settled.  (I only took 2 weeks with the rental car, and I took a car instead of the giant truck I was allowed to have, because I had my Dad's vehicle sitting in my driveway for part of the time, and I was having surgery and unable to drive for another 3 weeks of that time).

That's it.  I am already more than whole, because the settlement offer allowed me to go replace my truck, and buy a summer beater car for $575.

Pain and suffering money never even occurred to me.  Am I in pain, a little, but that's what the massages and chiropractic treatments are for.

Luckily, I didn't miss a day of work or anything because of it, but that is maybe the only other thing I might have wanted to be compensated for.  I wasn't out, looking to get in an accident (who is, right?) but it was, more or less, my fault that it happened.  I should expect to bear some of the burden for that.  And I am more than thankful that I didn't wind up more seriously hurt, and I didn't injure my co-worker, who was with me at the time.

Daley

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #21 on: April 11, 2013, 08:36:14 AM »
I was planning to stay relatively quiet regarding this topic out of respect until your latest post, William.

I really lost some respect for the members of this forum while reading the responses to this thread.  Assuming I am being sissy?  Really?  Are we not on the Mr. Money Mustache forum?

It sounds like those of you who have not been in an accident like this have nothing positive to say and please feel free to ignore this thread.  Those of you who have given sound advice, I appreciate your time and thought.  Going through this process can be scary.  Early in the claim it seemed like my only ally was the lady at fault's insurance company.  That is definitely not the case.  All Progressive wants to do is get rid of me with as little cost to them as possible.  They play dirty at times so maybe my original post read a little like I was getting angry with them (which I am).

Perhaps I left too much emotion out of my first post.  I feel emotion is relative and a thread like this should be much more about the facts than my measure of personal grief inflicted.  I came looking for advice on what I should expect to be compensated for this claim.  While not greedy, I do not want to foolishly accept the first number they give me.

Seriously some of you?  Assuming I'm making things up?  "Deserve."  I'm sorry, maybe I should have used "demand" or "get away with" or "make off with" or "cash in on"!

Let me first say that I am somebody who's been in a major wreck. I nearly lost a leg from it and was in hospital for nearly a month, and it snapped my father's neck (C1 fracture, for the record - miraculously un-paralyzed, but there was nerve damage). We were t-boned. Someone ran a stop sign and hit our car at 65MPH, we had the right of way. Needless to say, the car was totaled. This was nearly 20 years ago, and I sustained damages in that wreck that haunt me to this day. I was also in a rollover crash from a bad brake job as well as rear-ended about a decade ago, both times I was largely unhurt, and the car just barely squeaked in under the limit for repair versus totaling out. Neither time did I even consider claiming personal compensation as I was at most inconvenienced for a few hours dealing with getting rental cars as the injuries didn't keep me away from work. I just wanted to get that out of the way before I type what I am about to.

I completely agree with what Jamesqf said, but I'm going to take it one step further. I had kept up and read your posts, and your other thread on the subject... and you'll have no sympathy from me, especially given how you've presented your case and gone through the entire process with a sense of entitlement worn like a chip on your shoulder to the point that you sound like a Dan Davis ambulance chasing shill. Throughout this entire mess, you've been your own worst enemy stressing out over the entire mess, and that's nobody's fault but your own. The impression you're leaving with me is that you're too high-strung. Stress kills, man. Unclench.

Son, you apparently only needed some chiropractic adjustment. You were able to come on these forums after the event happened and seek guidance on claims adjustment very clearly and coherently. You may have complained about not being able to sleep due to some discomfort, but the way you're freaking out about it in a hostile manner and trying to inflate your pain and suffering is a little embarrassing. I do think you deserve something if you're needing joint re-alignment from soft tissue damage, and I think that amount should be appropriate for what's actually needed for recovery, but you're contributing and feeding that damage making it worse than it needs to be by not letting the situation go. You sound like a very angry man with this... relax. Forgive the driver, let Progressive be Progressive, let your body heal, and take advantage of the time allowed to finalize. The process is only as scary as you let it be. I understand getting keyed up and emotional after big events, I know what stress is like... but you've nobody to blame for that but yourself as only you can control how you react to things. Take it from someone who's been where you are, and worse, and gets that sort of headspace you're in currently. I'm not saying it'll be easy, but learn to let it go.

Be thankful you're alive and largely unhurt. Be thankful you were physically able to return to work at all the next day. Be thankful that the person who hit you had any insurance at all. Be thankful that you can handle this situation yourself. Be thankful that there's an entire community here who's willing to help you and tell you inconvenient truths about your situation to try and help you through this process.

I want to see you happy and well as much as the next guy, but you need to have a reality check about your situation. Relax.

Done by Forty

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #22 on: April 12, 2013, 08:35:56 AM »
Pain's hard to compare or to quantify.  It'll be pretty hard for anyone else on the internet to really talk about this in terms of dollars and cents.

You're ultimately the one who's going to be talking to the insurance company, cashing the check, and dealing with whatever comes from the situation.  My advice would be to think about what this whole process is going to take, and do what you think you'll feel good about a year from now.

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #23 on: April 12, 2013, 09:13:49 AM »
What is your injury, specifically?  Once you have reasonably figured that out (for example it could take a while to materialize), then go to a well-regarded personal injury lawyer and discuss what is typically awarded in similar situations.  They will have a very good sense of the real-world dollars and the time and cost to chase those.

I don't see you stating what your injury is here, so I don't think it's group think when people assume you have no or little injury and yet are wondering how much money you can get.  The best response on this threat was, 'what it will take to make you whole'.  If you are legitimately injured, there will be a number which equals that.  If you are not, the number is $0.

Spork

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #24 on: April 12, 2013, 09:46:54 AM »
... then go to a well-regarded personal injury lawyer...

Wow, way to set up unrealistic goals!   ;)

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #25 on: April 12, 2013, 11:05:41 AM »
Responding to the OP and skipping over the "moral" issues -

Did the attorneys you initially talked to give you any idea about what is a reasonable range for settlement?  The thing is, because these numbers really are made up to approximate something that is hard to actually value, you have to go by past history/experience in other situations to know what is reasonable.  The insurance company and the plaintiffs' lawyers have the experience and intuition as well as the databases to provide this information.  You don't, and the insurance company knows you don't.  If you haven't already done this, talk to attorneys who practice in this area and try to get some free advice in an initial meeting about your chances. 

It's a tough position for negotiation.  You don't want to hire a lawyer who will take a chunk, but you don't want to save the insurance company money either.  You want to arrive at a fair result but the insurance company won't take you as seriously as if you had a lawyer.  I think the best thing you can do for yourself is get advice from an attorney, whether you pay for it or not, about the appropriate range of settlement, so that you can go back to the insurance company with a demand, a rationale for that demand, and a realistic suggestion (explicitly stated or not) that you know what is appropriate and will not accept less. 

chucklesmcgee

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #26 on: April 12, 2013, 11:43:17 AM »
Legally, the purpose of a tort award is generally to make a person whole- put them in as good of a state they were prior to the accident. Incommensurable issues aside, most people probably would agree that just paying the medical bills for breaking someone's leg doesn't fully compensate them- they've suffered a temporary or permanent loss of ability to do things which they enjoy and that loss has value. In a lot of minor car crashes, including the one you've had, that really is negligible. You got a few bruises and a little pain? What are you expecting the court to value that at? $1000? I'd gladly take a little whipping around for that much money, so clearly it's worth far less.

If you try to pursue this with a lawyer you'll likely impose massive transaction costs on both the other person and yourself. A personally injury lawyer will take 1/3rd of the cut of your settlement, and no, that cost is not considered in calculating your pain and suffering award. The other person or the insurance company is going to shell out effectively a grand or two, which will be passed on to all the policy holders. If you take it to trial, you'll be wasting the time of the judge and all of the jurors who have to sit in and hear the case and the collective taxpayer dollars of everyone in the community. It'll also take months to work out these negotiations and have the trial. And you may walk away with nothing.

In this case it doesn't really seem like you've suffered all that much. Pain and suffering awards are also usually limited by statute anyways so they aren't abused as a punitive measure.

It's one thing if you were a little girl with a bright future who's now paralyzed from the neck down, can never go to college, will never be able to play, socialize, have any romantic partners a family or do much of anything. I think we can all agree that to be made whole (as much as money can be a substitute for these things) that girl would need to receive much more than just medical costs and lost wages.

But you're just a little bitch and need to suck it up. Shit happens all the time. The law doesn't care about your de minimis trifles.

superheropunk

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #27 on: April 12, 2013, 03:14:32 PM »
You deserve $5,000,000.

Reepekg

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #28 on: April 12, 2013, 03:59:46 PM »
You deserve 19,327,130 Vietnamese Dong... at least for having to read chucklesmcgee calling you such unsavory names.

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #29 on: April 12, 2013, 04:11:32 PM »
I really lost some respect for the members of this forum while reading the responses to this thread.  Assuming I am being sissy?  Really?  Are we not on the Mr. Money Mustache forum?

I think maybe YOU are the one confused about where you posted.   Face-punches for not being tougher than the average person are the name of the game.  :-)

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #30 on: April 12, 2013, 05:33:51 PM »
While not greedy, I do not want to foolishly accept the first number they give me.


Why not if it's fair? It's not about what you can get, it's about what covers your situation. Statements like this make it sound like you are trying to profit from the situation rather than simply be made whole.

Self-employed-swami

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #31 on: April 12, 2013, 06:09:44 PM »
While not greedy, I do not want to foolishly accept the first number they give me.


Why not if it's fair? It's not about what you can get, it's about what covers your situation. Statements like this make it sound like you are trying to profit from the situation rather than simply be made whole.

I was of the same mind-set about not accepting the first number the insurance company offered me, for my accident... But then the first number was very generous, so I couldn't sign fast enough, just in case they changed their minds!  However, like I said, this was just for a vehicle, not some bogus 'pain and suffering' thing, when I was bumps and bruises injured.

chucklesmcgee

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #32 on: April 12, 2013, 06:23:52 PM »
While not greedy, I do not want to foolishly accept the first number they give me.

Why not if it's fair? It's not about what you can get, it's about what covers your situation. Statements like this make it sound like you are trying to profit from the situation rather than simply be made whole.

Even from a purely selfish perspective, it doesn't sound like you have much evidence to support another dollar figure. Are you permanently in pain or disabled? Were you in much pain? Did you require significant pain meds? Is a paramedic able to testify that you were writhing in pain and had to be sedated before being taken to the hospital? Did you miss work? Were you unable to do things you enjoy?

Because if the jurors just see what's now a pretty healthy guy sitting there talking about how much things used to hurt it's going to be touch for them to find an award of much damages. Numberwise I'd make the decision to pursue actions in court like this:

Settlement< (Probability of winning)(Amount of award*2/3)- (how badly you feel wasting judge, witnesses and jury's time)

So you'd have to be very confident of winning over $1200 or so in order to justify pressing actions in court.

If you're really gung-ho I'd try and press State Farm for $1000 and see what they do. Otherwise I'd just take the $750.

BPA

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #33 on: April 12, 2013, 07:03:18 PM »
While not greedy, I do not want to foolishly accept the first number they give me.


Why not if it's fair? It's not about what you can get, it's about what covers your situation. Statements like this make it sound like you are trying to profit from the situation rather than simply be made whole.

Having known some people who have had debilitating car accidents, I'm of the take the money and run mindset.  If you argue, you may wind up in court for a long time for an award that may not be a whole lot better. 

I honestly don't know why people ask questions like this and then complain when they have to know they are going to get some answers they don't like. 

I was of the same mind-set about not accepting the first number the insurance company offered me, for my accident... But then the first number was very generous, so I couldn't sign fast enough, just in case they changed their minds!  However, like I said, this was just for a vehicle, not some bogus 'pain and suffering' thing, when I was bumps and bruises injured.

BPA

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #34 on: April 12, 2013, 07:08:51 PM »
Ooops.  I'm drinking wine.  Pardon the poor quoting of my post above.

NWstubble

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #35 on: April 13, 2013, 01:56:05 AM »
+1 million for I.P., well said.

Self-employed-swami

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #36 on: April 13, 2013, 10:08:28 AM »
Ooops.  I'm drinking wine.  Pardon the poor quoting of my post above.

:D

Stachsquatch

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #37 on: April 13, 2013, 10:23:05 AM »
I think I deserve some pain and suffering compensation for being exposed to this complainy-pants post. The only thing beyond real damages owed to you is a punch in the face. Be grateful for the extremely limited damage done to you considering what happened.

The real question here is: why weren't you riding your bike? ;)

einzweidrei

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Re: Had A Car Crash! How Much Do I Deserve?
« Reply #38 on: April 14, 2013, 08:09:30 AM »
If there is no real injury, I have very little sympathy. Mostly because where I live, there is so much insurance fraud and so many people trying to get money from insurance companies, that we have some of the highest auto insurance rates in the country. And since you didn't like the replies of people who could not sympathize, how about a story that is more physically traumatizing?

One day I was crossing the street while I was away at college. I was crossing in the pedestrian crosswalk which required all cars to come to a complete stop. I was actually halfway between, standing on the double yellow lines and looking to my right at the oncoming traffic when all of a sudden BOOM---a car hit me from the left. The car was going AT LEAST the speed you cited (25-30 mph), obviously had crossed the double yellow lines and let me tell you what happened:

-The car hit me. Hard.
-I flew over the car---okay, more like I rolled over the car. I hit his hood, smashed into his windshield (I broke it), hit the top of the car and my body was thrown behind the car onto the street.
-Almost like a joke, my sneakers flew off of my feet and in two different directions. To this day I laugh about it because after getting hit by the car and knowing my sneakers were MIA, I kept saying to the EMTS, "My shoes. Someone get my shoes. My shoes."

I have bones like rocks so I managed to not break anything. My legs were so bruised and swollen that I looked absolutely disgusting and they gave me crutches. Instead, I just walked around in pain for awhile. I'm lucky I landed the way that I did when I hit the ground---what if I landed on my head???

This guy had expired registration. And I'm not sure if this has anything to do with his driving ability but he had some physical limitations as well. I spoke to a personal injury attorney and he told me because of the state I am in, no fault, unless I have what is deemed a "serious injury" --- meaning I had to break something or demonstrate some type of real damage to my body aside from bruising and swelling --- it would be very difficult to really get any money from the insurance company.  He didn't seem very hopeful and after talking to someone else, I decided the insurance company could easily play hardball and I'd have to do a lot of BS to "show" an injury. (And of course, the lawyer would take 33% so it didn't feel worth it.)

So, when his insurance offered me $500, I decided to take it after consulting with the attorney. I was actually in physical pain for awhile and the photos were really something awful---but I couldn't really do anything about it. Maybe I should have asked for more but I was poor at the time and happy to get something. To this day I have a bunch of weird veins (that look like spider veins) on my legs where I got hit.


I could not make this up but I got hit by a car a second time. Luckily she was going slowly but obviously I knew I wasn't going to get anything and this time I didn't damage anything. I did have to curse her out though since I had the light!