Crazy Accident what to expect

[dancorcal]

I was involved in a crazy accident over the weekend where a 70 year old driver got confused and was on the interstate going the wrong way with his lights off. We hit almost head on. Long story short, his insurance company has accepted liability for the accident. My wife and I appear to only have minor injuries, and we have gone to the doctor to get checked out. The insurance company appears to be willing to pay for the repairs to my vehicle, our doctor bill, and a rental car. My question is regarding General Damage compensation. This has created a huge disruption in our day to day lives, and had a significant effect on us emotionally due to the intensity of the accident. What is the usual offer made by insurance companies for General Damage? Basically I don't want to get lowballed on this, and would like some averages and numbers to gauge with. Any suggestions would be helpful. I have not contacted a lawyer yet, and would like to avoid that, just want to know what to expect.

 

[Raisinette]

My question is regarding General Damage compensation. This has created a huge disruption in our day to day lives, and had a significant effect on us emotionally due to the intensity of the accident. What is the usual offer made by insurance companies for General Damage?

We used to call that "the cost of being a citizen." The usual offer is zero. Practically speaking you can wrap a little up in your "injury" claim.

 

[dancorcal]

Well that's not very encouraging. That being the case though, does anybody know if insurance companies factor in the effect the accident has on the value of your vehicle. I don't mean physical damage, but if I try to sell my vehicle now, and someone does a car report on it, and sees it has been in a head on collision at interstate speeds, this decreases the value of my vehicle. Do they factor that in?

 

[Raisinette]

Well that's not very encouraging. That being the case though, does anybody know if insurance companies factor in the effect the accident has on the value of your vehicle. I don't mean physical damage, but if I try to sell my vehicle now, and someone does a car report on it, and sees it has been in a head on collision at interstate speeds, this decreases the value of my vehicle. Do they factor that in?

Check to see if the laws in your state allow claims for "diminished value." You can ask your insurance claims adjuster how they handle such claims. You can hire a lawyer to represent you and share the proceeds of your claim if you think that will be of benefit to you.