Personal Injury from D.U.I. Driver

[karenrose3388]

Hi all!

I was involved in an accident about a month ago in Georgia. I was driving through an intersection and had the green light, a drunk driver just pulled into the middle of the intersection and stopped and I T-boned him. Witness also verified this with the police and he was arrested with a D.U.I.

My car was totaled, and I broke my left pinky finger which required surgery and now rehab and therapy.

We have hired a personal injury attorney, and we have already had our insurance pay us out for our totaled car which was about $6,500.

Outside of the property damage, what kind of compensation can we expect to get from the at fault insurance outside of just covering our medical bills?

 

[cyzy]

@karenrose3388 Ask the attorney you’re giving away 30% of your settlement to. No one here can give you a number without seeing your medical bills and records.

 

[etgibs]

@cyzy Possibly more.

 

[toast19]

@cyzy About a year ago I had a client hit an run while riding a bicycle. Broken collar bone surgery repaired. $25K UM. Client refused attorney settled with geico for $16. Seemed way low to me

 

[raphacam]

@karenrose3388 As we always say, that's a question for your attorney you're gonna be paying thousands to. Make them earn it.

 

[johnthree16]

@karenrose3388 The DUI driver that hit my kid only had state minimum insurance and no assets. Can’t get blood from a stone, and my kid has had well over a million dollars in medical treatments. Thankfully I have good health insurance.

There could be nothing for you to get.

 

[jamesbook]

@johnthree16 GA state minimum is 25k per injured party, 50k per accident.

 

[toast19]

@jamesbook Same as New York

 

[tkline]

@johnthree16 State minimums are appallingly low compared to the cost of medical treatments.

 

[johnthree16]

@tkline Yep. And PA is even lower than Georgia.

 

[former32%C2%B0mason]

@karenrose3388 Make your attorney work for their money. Find out what the drunk's policy limits were. He might not even have enough to cover your medical bills after your attorney takes their cut. No one here has seen your medical records, but don't expect that you've hit the lottery for a pinky finger injury.

 

[jamesbook]

@karenrose3388 A confirmed surgery? If he has GA state minimum (25k), and I were the adjuster I would be tendering you that full amount on day 1. Your attorney is going to demand full limits, and has a good shot getting there. DUI is a huge aggravator when evaluating injury claims, juries hate DUI drivers and it’s a huge risk to take that to trial vs settle.

 

[trustinggod]

@jamesbook Then OP would be much better off without a lawyer if the other party carries the state minimums here.

 

[jamesbook]

@trustinggod I agree. Some lawyers will bow out in situations like this if the coverage is minimal once they have the coverage declarations from both companies and an asset affidavit from the at fault driver and insured. I’ve had a few do that to get out of the way and let the client get the full settlement minus a pretty nominal flat fee.

If OP has a solid amount of under/uninsured motorist, the attorney may still have work to do.

 

[jamesbook]

I find the down vote odd. I am a BI adjuster for a large national carrier. We would tender 25 on this 100% of the time on a DUI.

 

[bellah]

@jamesbook Everyone here hates lawyers and automatically assumes people who make posts like this are trying to get rich from a paper cut.

 

[darkan]

@jamesbook It's this sub, not you. Happens all the time without much rhyme or reason

 

[mr_loevinger]

@karenrose3388 Mike Hostilo gunna get you paid!

 

[belovedofgod]

@karenrose3388 Normally surgery is worth a lot. Was it ORIF?

 

[etgibs]

@karenrose3388 You already got paid for the car. Which you didnt need an attorney for.
They should cover medical, within reason, what you dont need an attorney for.
There would normally be a "pain and suffering" offer which would come wjthiut an attorney. You can counger that without an attorney.

Something i wonder. Since you got ab attorney how does this.action affect future premiums?