The insurance adjuster will try to pay as little as possible for your claim. There is probably no set multiplier for how much you will receive for pain and suffering. All the insurance company is required to pay is the cost of all hospitalization and doctor bills, the cost to repair or replace your vehicle and transportation while your vehicle is being repaired, and for any lost wages or earnings as a direct result of the accident. Payment for any pain and suffering, lost wages not directly resulting from the accident (time off to see a lawyer, appear in court, or meet with the agent, etc). These are called indirect claims. The adjuster will attempt to have you sign two releases as part of the settlement, one for the direct claims and one for the indirect claims. The release for the direct claims should not be signed till you are satisfied that you are physically healed and all the bills have been paid. Most insurance companies try to limit the length of time before they want this signed, usually 3 years. You will probably be pressured to sign the release for indirect claims within 1 year (that may vary depending on your state laws) and you will be told that if you do not accept the settlement for indirect claims and sign the release, they do not have to pay you anything unless the claim is disputed in court. You should buy at least a half hour of an attorneys time to see what your rights are in your state.
