QUESTION
How do I know if the settlement offer I got is reasonable?
Asked on Aug 25th, 2011 on Personal Injury - California
17 ANSWERS
2 Awards
This depends on a wide range of factors (i.e. your injuries, liability) and circumstances around your case. If you have an attorney, you may want to ask them to explain to you the settlement as it relates to your case and the current value of similar cases in that jurisdiction. If you don't have an attorney, I suggest you call and speak with one before you settle.
Answered on Sep 07th, 2012 at 3:52 PM
Alternate Dispute Resolution Attorney serving Edmond, OK
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Woska Law Firm, PLLC
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Good question unfortunately, not enough information to give good advice. Hire a contingent fee attorney with experience in the area of law involved. A lawyer in the business with experience trying and settling the cases should give him an ability to provide statistical probabilities of winning and damages. No one ever truly knows if the settlement was reasonable objectively but generally a good settlement means both sides are pissed at the amount of the settlement.
Answered on Sep 01st, 2011 at 9:00 AM
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Attorney serving Syracuse, NY
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Andrew T. Velonis, P.C.
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That depends on a wide array of factors. If you have a lawyer, then it is your lawyer's job to make that assessment and recommendation. If you don't, then you are working in the dark.
Answered on Aug 29th, 2011 at 12:54 PM
Plaintiff Animal Bites Attorney serving Missoula, MT
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Bulman Law Associates PLLC
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Ask your attorney to explain the reasons for settlement.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 6:27 PM
Personal Injury Attorney serving Charlotte, NC
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Paul Whitfield and Associates P.A.
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you did not tell me anything about your injuries, your medicals or your bills . Generally you must rely on your lawyer since he presumably knows what he is doing. You should have a certain comfort level about it and confidence in your lawyer.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 12:32 PM
Personal Injury Attorney serving Missoula, MT
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Judnich Law Office
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Unless you are an attorney you may not know if it is reasonable. The best advise would be to contact an attorney in your area to find out if it is a reasonable settlement or not.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 12:16 PM
You may retain and consult with another personal injury attorney for a second opinion.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Personal Injury Law Attorney serving Naperville, IL
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Law Office of Barry R. Rabovsky
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We would be happy to provide you with a free consultation if you call my office at either of the numbers listed below. If my office accepts your case, there is no fee charged unless we are able to obtain a settlement for you.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 11:39 AM
The only way to know properly is to speak with an EXPERIENCED personal injury attorney. This attorney would be able to compare your settlement proposal with others who have had similar injuries. Without a comparison, it is really impossible to know. Insurance companies will often take advantage of those without legal representation for this very reason.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 11:28 AM
Your Virginia personal injury law question is very complicated and not easily answered with the limited facts you provide. Each injury case is unique and a fair value depends on a lot of factors. Since I do not know how you were injured or the nature of your injuries, I am unable to assist you in valuation. You may want to consider discussing your case with an experienced injury attorney. Generally, a lawyer will be able to tell you if the deal is fair or if they can do better for you. No lawyer wants to take a case and end up with the same deal that you had at the beginning.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 11:28 AM
Criminal Law Attorney serving Worcester, MA
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Gregory Casale, Attorney at Law
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Your attorney should be able to tell you. Don't forget, attorneys get paid a percentage so their incentive for the highest offer available is the same as yours.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 11:18 AM
Criminal Defense Attorney serving Montrose, NY
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Law Office of Jared Altman
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First, your lawyer should have some idea. Second, your lawyer can consult with other attorneys and get a consensus. Third, your lawyer can research past verdicts and settlements. And fourth your lawyer can research what verdicts have been upheld or struck down on appeal for extreme upper and lower limits. Another simple way is to estimate the full value of your claim assuming 100% liability and then discount that by the chance in percentage terms that you will lose at trial or that your verdict might be reduced for you own fault. Then discount it some more because in trial work a bird in the hand is worth three in the bush.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 10:47 AM
Motor Vehicle Accidents and Injuries Attorney serving Fayetteville, NC
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Beaver Courie Law Firm
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If "reasonable" means what you might recover if you win a trial, you should consult with an attorney who has experience with cases like yours. The attorney will consider the facts underlying your claim, the strength of defenses, the damages you have suffered, what has happened in similar cases, the likelihood of success at trial, and a great deal of related information to evaluate the reasonableness of the offer.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 9:17 AM
Plaintiff's Personal Injury Attorney serving Seattle, WA
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Shaw Legal Solutions
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Determining the adequacy of settlements is highly subjective and highly personal. Only you know if it's enough to compensate you for your loss. If you have an attorney, the attorney can give you an idea of what a jury might award, or what his experience is with your type of claim. But each claim is different, and there are too many variables to say whether an offer is enough or not.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 9:13 AM
Contract Negotiations Attorney serving Miami Lakes, FL
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Florido & Associates, P.A.
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Get a second opinion before you accept the settlement offer.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 9:09 AM
Small Businesses Attorney serving Livonia, MI
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Klisz Law Office, PLLC
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Ask your attorney. If you don't have one, it's not reasonable. Insurers always rip off the unrepresented.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 7:53 AM
Employment Law Attorney serving Beverly Hills, CA
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Dordick Law Corporation
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Pretty vague question. If you have an attorney, he or she can make the proper assessment based on the severity of injury, the degree the other side is liable, your age, your recovery time, your missed time from work, if any, damage to your earning capacity, the medical expenses incurred, etc. These are all significant factors, without which no one can answer your question with any detail.
Answered on Aug 26th, 2011 at 7:53 AM