Average Car Accident Passenger Settlement in Florida
Apr 19, 2023 | Category: Car Accidents |A car accident can change your life. But what if you weren’t the driver? After suffering injuries, property damage, and emotional trauma, you may wonder, “What are my rights as a passenger in a car accident?” Your medical bills may be piling up, and it may be difficult, or impossible, to work. The good news is even if you weren’t driving, Florida law entitles passengers to file a lawsuit for damages. Personal injury lawsuits are complicated. You may feel ready to accept any offer to alleviate your financial and emotional burden. But moving forward doesn’t always mean settling for less than you deserve. A compassionate, but aggressive, personal injury attorney protects your rights to obtain just compensation, so you can focus on your recovery. How Much Money Can a Passenger in a Car Accident Get? Wondering how much you can get if you are a passenger in a car accident? The amount of compensation a car accident passenger can expect is subject to the outcome of negotiations and the specific details of the case. However, your personal injury attorney may provide insight as to what damages you may be eligible to recover in your lawsuit. According to the car accident passenger settlement examples listed on this page, the typical Florida car accident passenger settlement is anywhere from $350,000 to $1,600,000. Settlements depend greatly on the unique circumstances of each case which is why there is no accurate average settlement amount for car accident passengers in Florida. Recent Car Accident Passenger Settlement and Amount Examples In these recent examples of car accident passenger settlement cases, here’s how much we were able to recover for victims. The unique circumstances of each case play a significant role in determining settlements, which is why it is important to contact us today to learn how we can help. $1,600,000/Auto Accident/Head on Collision/Broken Pelvis/Broken Leg/Neck Fracture/Neck Pain/Closed Head Injury/2021 Our client was a back seat passenger in a vehicle when the driver made an illegal left-hand turn violating the right of way of an approaching vehicle traveling in the opposite direction. This resulted in a head on collision. Our client was rushed to the emergency room via helicopter and treated for a broken pelvis, broken leg, neck fracture, neck pain and a closed head injury with a brain bleed. The client had surgeries to repair the broken pelvis and leg injuries and conservative treatment and rehabilitation to recover from the injury to the brain. A demand was presented to the defendant’s insurance company. The initial offer was only $300,000. That offer was rejected. A suit was filed immediately after receiving such a low offer. Depositions of the defendant driver, witnesses, and our client’s treating doctors were taken. Our client submitted to examinations by physicians hired by the defendant’s insurance company. One of these physicians confirmed our client had a closed head injury that was permanent. The defendant’s insurance company offered $500,000 shortly after the suit was filed. That offer was rejected. The defendant’s insurance company offered $750,000 to settle the case at a mediation conference. The offer was rejected. After the case progressed further through the lengthy litigation process the case eventually settled for 1.6 million dollars closer to the trial date. $500,000/Auto Accident/Read End/Neck/Cervical Herniations/Steroid Injections/Multi-level Cervical Fusion Our client was a passenger in a vehicle when the defendant slammed into the rear of their stopped vehicle causing them to be pushed into the vehicle in front of them. Our client, 21 years old at the time, was taken to the ER, and then began treatment. An MRI scan revealed herniations in the neck and back, and she later underwent steroid injections and multi-level cervical spine surgery. A demand was presented to the defendant’s driver’s insurance company. The defendant’s insurance company merely offered $55,000 to settle the claim. The defendant’s insurance company claimed that the vehicle the client was riding in as a passenger struck the vehicle ahead of it first causing the vehicle to make a quick, sudden, and unexpected stop thereby causing the defendant to collide with the rear of the vehicle the plaintiff was riding in as a passenger. This outrageously low ball offer was quickly rejected. A civil suit was filed. Lengthy depositions of the driver our client was riding in as a passenger, the deposition of the driver in the vehicle ahead of our client and witnesses were taken establishing that the defendant driver was fully at fault for causing the accident. After the plaintiff’s surgery and prior to mediation, the defendant made an offer of $225,000 to settle the case. That offer was promptly rejected. A mediation conference took place. Our office hired a life care planner to provide a detailed outline of the plaintiff’s future medical care expenses for the rest of her life expectancy. A powerful power point presentation outlining the results of the accident investigation, the plaintiff’s medical attention and treatment/surgery, and her future medical expenses were presented to the insurance claim representative. After several hours of ongoing settlement negotiations, the insurance company finally became convinced the case had considerable value and agreed to pay $500,000 for full and final settlement of all claims. $350,000/Auto Accident/Rear Ended/Sciatica with RFA Our client was riding as a passenger in a vehicle that was rear-ended. The defendant was driving a commercial vehicle and, in the course, and scope of his employment. Our client was 46 years old with no prior neck injury. An MRI of her neck revealed multi-level cervical disc herniations. After failing conservative treatment, she underwent a recommended multi-level cervical fusion. The insurance company merely offered $15,500 to settle the case prior to the mediation. Suit was filed and litigated. The defendant claimed that the client’s husband was partially at fault for causing the accident. Depositions of the client’s husband and the defendant were taken. The depositions clearly revealed that the defendant was solely at fault for causing the accident. The defendant increased their offer to $275,000 at the mediation settlement conference. That offer was rejected, and...
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