To PamSJS, I am always Liable

[gary707]

In December of last year, I was hit on the head by a falling table that was placed against the wall at a large retail/gaming/bar/food place. I was rushed to the hospital and had a severe cuncuscion and neck, back, shoulder and arm damege.

Since then I have been in physical therapy and have four torn muscles and post tramatic syndrome. I will be in therapy for another three months and was told I have five trigger muscle points that are damaged muscle spots, caused from the accident.

We have a lawyer and the place that it happened have their lawyers awaiting our proposal.

I have enjoyed your advice here and my question is this.

With all my pain and suffering, I have not been able to work since the accident, much less anything physical, I was asked by my lawyer what money amount I was asking for.

I have been told this could be a million dollar suite, is this a possible figure? I have permanant damage and had MRI`s and catscans looking for blood clots on the area of my head the large table hit.

Please help me with a reality advice answer, I need to know the limits to what I can receive.

Best Wishes Always

Julie.

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

In December of last year, I was hit on the head by a falling table that was placed against the wall at a large retail/gaming/bar/food place. I was rushed to the hospital and had a severe cuncuscion and neck, back, shoulder and arm damege.

Since then I have been in physical therapy and have four torn muscles and post tramatic syndrome. I will be in therapy for another three months and was told I have five trigger muscle points that are damaged muscle spots, caused from the accident.

We have a lawyer and the place that it happened have their lawyers awaiting our proposal.

I have enjoyed your advice here and my question is this.

With all my pain and suffering, I have not been able to work since the accident, much less anything physical, I was asked by my lawyer what money amount I was asking for.

I have been told this could be a million dollar suite, is this a possible figure? I have permanant damage and had MRI`s and catscans looking for blood clots on the area of my head the large table hit.

Please help me with a reality advice answer, I need to know the limits to what I can receive.

Best Wishes Always

Julie.

My response:

Dear Julie,

Thanks for coming back to the boards.

I haven't seen Pam around in a few weeks, and I certainly hope she comes back.

Anyway, I had to take a deep breath, shake my head, and then sigh when you said,

"I was asked by my lawyer what money amount I was asking for."

I can't believe it (or, maybe I can), that your own attorney, who's supposed to be experienced in Personal Injury, and who's intimately knowledgeable of your accident and injury details, is actually asking YOU, a non-lawyer, and someone who hasn't a clue about such matters, for a dollar figure ! How the hell are you supposed to know ?

Your attorney is supposed to study, and go over, recent Jury Trial Verdicts with you. Tell him, "Hey, damn it. How about earning your fee ? Why haven't you looked at the "O'Brian's Trial Verdict Sheets" and found similar cases with similar damages, and found out what juries are awarding in such cases? Hmmm? "

We really can't give you an estimate here on these boards because, while you've skimmed over your injuries with us, we don't know you, your background, the real extent of your injuries, the dollar amounts of your medicals, your age, what you do for a living, etc., etc., etc., etc. All of these variables, and more, determine the value of someone's case. Also, we don't know the limits of liability of the Defendant's insurance policy. Maybe there's only a $100,000.00 policy. I don't know.

Your attorney is supposed to know these things.

We would be shooting in the dark on this, and in the face of the fact that you are represented by counsel, it would be irresponsible for any of us to give you a dollar figure. That's for your attorney to review with you.

Just an aside, I've had potential clients come to me wanting to transfer their cases to me after their previous attorney asked them a similar question. You don't ask a client "how much they want" ! A client doesn't know, and will usually overvalue their own case anyway, without any basis for giving a figure. Of course a client wants a million dollars for a "fender bender" auto accident. They also want the defendant's first born male child !

It's the attorney's job to review similar cases with their clients, which gives the client a "real world" idea of the potential (not guaranteed) value of a particular case.

Tell your attorney to do his job, or you'll get one that can !

Good luck to you.

IAAL

 

[HomeGuru]

Good job, IAAL.
My sentiments exactly.