Insurance Question
 

So my x-gf was in a car accident a couple months ago that was not her fault and suffered from a very very bad sprained ankle. The ligaments in her ankle were sprained very badly. At the time she was working a job and had to take a medical leave of absense, which eventually led to her getting fired. Since then her ankle hasn't been right and still hurts her and there is most likely going to be long term, or even permanant, damage.

She talked to the lawyer today and he gave her this $$ settlement:

536.30 - For her hospital bills
742.00 - To pay off her doctor for putting on/removing casts and ankle braces
560.00 - As compensation for missed work pay
5000.00 - For "everything else". This includes inconvenience, pain, suffering, possible long term damage and all that stuff.

Total - $6838.30

Now my question to you guys is, do you think that's fair? In all honesty I think the insurance guy is just trying to rip her off because she's young and prolly dosn't know any better. He said to her "that she shouldn't talk to her friends, family, or a lawyer about this situation because they don't know what she went though, and that the negotiations should be between him and her". To me that sounds like he knows that he could get fucked for a lot more money if a lawyer was brought into this. Of course she told him no on that offer, because she needed to talk to her parents and such. Do you guys think she deserves more than this? If so, how much?

If anyone can point me in the direction of some good information online I would greatly appreciate it.

Yeah okay.

The advice anyone BUT a lawyer for the insurance company would give you in this situation, is to talk to your OWN lawyer.

Do lawyers still wonder why they're so despised in society today? I truly wonder.

So do you think by hiring a lawyer she would get more money out of this? Or would it be less after the lawyer fees and such?

I'd be a fool for actually trying to try to answer this, and you'd be a bigger fool for taking that advice...no offense meant. Even YOUR lawyer is going to want to make money, so it would all depend on how much they could get for you. I sure as hell couldn't even try to answer that.

I would GUESS that if there's PERMANENT damage, she'd be entitled to a fuck of a lot more than what was offered, BUT, I'm not a lawyer.

Most lawyers will offer you a free consultation I believe, up here anyways. Give one of them a call and see what they have to say.

In all honesty he is trying to rip her off because he is an insurance agent.
Rule number 1 with insurance people, you never deal with them. You always let a lawyer do that for you. Even if you have to take some big ass 1/3rd payment comission to such a lawyer you will end out better.

I was in an accident about 6 months ago.I was stopped in traffic and got nailed by a guy doing 65 mph.Luckily I was driving a SUV.The whole ass end was shoved in.The rear axle was completly seperated from the vehicle.Insurance gave me 2500 for the vehicle.Paid my medical bills of 1300 and gave me 5000 of which the lawyer took a third.Insurance companies try to pay as little as possible out.If you don't need the money now I'd fight for every dollar you can