Rear-end accidents are so common that many people don’t think recovering from one will be all that challenging. The truth is that these accidents can cost you time, money, peace of mind, and even physical comfort.
Most people who’ve been rear-ended choose to file an insurance claim to cover their costs—but how much should you expect from an insurance payout? What is the average settlement amount for a rear-end collision?
In this article, we outline what you can expect. Keep reading to learn more.
What Is Used to Calculate the Value of Your Mobile Rear-End Car Accident?
Because every rear-end car accident is unique, “average” settlement values can be deceiving. A better way to understand the value of your potential payout is to learn how this payout is calculated.
After a rear-end accident, you’ll have various expenses (which are referred to as “damages” in the legal world). These include any cost you may have incurred as a result of getting rear-ended, money you weren’t able to earn, and even the emotional cost of the accident. This includes:
- The cost of your medical bills
- Medications
- Emergency medical services
- Rehabilitation services, like physical therapy or occupational therapy
- Future medical costs
- Lost wages
- The value of your pain and suffering
- And other costs, depending on your situation
Ideally, the payout from the insurance company will cover the cost of these items after you’ve been rear-ended. However, it can be challenging to get a payout that’s fair, especially if you aren’t working with an attorney who has your back. To fight back, you should understand the potential challenges you face, what your options are in this tough situation, and hire a Mobile car accident lawyer who is skilled at handling claims regarding rear-end accidents.
RELATED ARTICLE: Brian’s Story: A College Student Gets Justice After a Car Crash
Avoid These Pitfalls Following Your Rear-End Collision
Unfortunately, getting a fair insurance claims payout isn’t always as straightforward and easy as it should be. Common challenges to getting a fair settlement in Mobile, Alabama include:
- Not getting medical treatment right away. Medical records (and medical bills) are valuable evidence in your insurance claim after a rear-end crash. Without these documents, it will be hard to prove that you’re hurt and difficult to assign a financial value to your injuries. If you were in a rear-end car accident, don’t wait to get medical treatment.
- The other driver blames you for the crash. In most rear-end collisions, it’s pretty clear that the at-fault driver is the one that does the rear-ending. However, Alabama law says that if you’re even 1% responsible for the crash, you aren’t eligible to collect any compensation for your injuries. For this reason, the other driver and their insurance company may try and claim that you contributed to the rear-end accident in order to get out of paying you a fair settlement. If this is happening to you, you need to speak with an experienced attorney right away. A skilled lawyer who knows how to handle rear-end car accidents can help you swat down these kinds of nonsense “defenses” and demand you get the money you deserve.
- You may need to make multiple insurance claims. If the total cost of your injuries from the rear-end collision is more than the at-fault driver’s insurance can cover, you may need to make a claim with your own UM/UIM (uninsured or underinsured motorist) insurance provider. This process can be stressful if you’re also trying to recover from your injuries and get back to normal life at the same time. Again, it’s in your best interest to work with an experienced lawyer who can help you file multiple claims.
- The insurance company isn’t honest about your options. Once you file a claim with the insurance company, they will assign someone to handle your case. This person is called a claims adjuster, and while they may act friendly to you, they are not your friend. They are not legally bound to provide you good advice and are often under a tremendous amount of pressure to get you to settle your claim as quickly as possible to keep the costs down for the company. As a result, many people who’ve been in rear-end collisions get tricked out of payouts that will cover their costs.
When you hire a car accident attorney, they’re legally bound to provide you reliable legal advice. So, it’s in your best interest to hire one before you begin speaking or negotiating with the insurance company about the rear-end car accident.
At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we have decades of experience providing down-to-earth legal advice that injured people in Mobile rely on in tough times. If you or someone you love is facing a tough challenge after a rear-end car accident, please don’t want to contact our law firm.
Rear-Ended in Mobile, Alabama? Contact Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys Today
Getting your life back on track after a seemingly small rear-end accident can be a tough challenge—especially when you need to work and take care of your family, and your household as well. We know, because we’ve been helping people in Mobile and across Alabama with their car accident claims for more than 35 years.
This includes people like Brian, who was rear-ended on his way to class at a local university. With our help, Brian got his medical bills covered and even received financial compensation for the pain and suffering he experienced after the crash.
At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we have decades of experience providing down-to-earth legal advice that injured people in Mobile rely on in tough times. If you or someone you love is facing a tough challenge after a rear-end car accident, please don’t want to contact our law firm.
If you were hurt in a rear-end collision that wasn’t your fault, you deserve to understand the value of your claim, reliable support from an experienced attorney, and a fair payout—not spending the foreseeable future paying for someone else’s mistake.
When you work with an experienced car accident attorney from Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we guide you through the process with compassion and fight for you with a won’t-back-down attitude. We can help you understand how much money you are owed, and then demand that the people who hurt you take accountability for their actions.
To learn more about how we help people after rear-end accidents, request a free consultation with a lawyer from our law firm. These meetings are private, free, and come with no strings attached. We can meet you in our Mobile office (conveniently located on Dauphin Island Parkway, just south of I-10), in the hospital, your home, or over the phone. Call 251-888-8888 or complete this brief form to request your free consultation.
The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.
Andy is the owner and CEO of Citrin Law Firm, P.C. He founded the firm in 1995 with the goal of helping injured people put their lives back together. His passion for protecting injured people has only grown since he opened the doors of Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, and he has a history of winning numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients.