What Type of Settlement Can I Expect from My Rear-End Crash?
The simple answer is: it depends. There are many factors that go into your claim? Were you injured? How serious were the injuries? Did you have to miss work? Will the rehabilitation process take a long time? The list goes on.
Getting Help After the Crash
If you were recently involved in a rear-end motor vehicle crash in California, you should be thinking about filing a claim for compensation. A skilled car accident lawyer can help greatly in this process.
As you consider whether to file a first-party or third-party insurance claim, you may be wondering about the average rear-end collision settlement, or running searches like “average settlement for rear-end collision.”
Many people who are injured in crashes want to know what type of damages award or settlement they might expect to receive. According to an article in the Washington Post, there are approximately 1.7 million rear end crashes in the U.S. every year, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that rear end accidents account for nearly one-third of all collisions in the country.
Given that there are so many rear end accidents that happen each year, it is impossible to talk about an average settlement amount without knowing the specific facts of a case.
To be sure, settlement amounts in these cases vary widely. However, we can discuss some of the issues that are likely to impact rear end collision injury settlements.
Our Case Results
$750
THOUSAND
REAR END VEHICLE COLLISION
A negligent driver rear-ended our client who suffered a significant back injury resulting in pre-trial settlement of $750,000.
REAR END VEHICLE COLLISION
A negligent driver rear-ended our client who suffered a significant back injury resulting in pre-trial settlement of $750,000.
$565
THOUSAND
LOW-SPEED REAR END VEHICLE COLLISION
Our client was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a low-speed impact resulting in back surgery. Settlement of his third-party liability and his underinsurance claims resulted in total settlement of $565,000.
LOW-SPEED REAR END VEHICLE COLLISION
Our client was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a low-speed impact resulting in back surgery. Settlement of his third-party liability and his underinsurance claims resulted in total settlement of $565,000.
$500
THOUSAND
PEDESTRIAN STRUCK BY VEHICLE
Our client’s mother was struck and killed in a crosswalk resulting in a policy limits settlement of $500,000.
PEDESTRIAN STRUCK BY VEHICLE
Our client’s mother was struck and killed in a crosswalk resulting in a policy limits settlement of $500,000.
$125
THOUSAND
CAR REAR ENDED BY BUS
A bus rear ended our client causing serious back injuries. Result: $125,000.
CAR REAR ENDED BY BUS
A bus rear ended our client causing serious back injuries. Result: $125,000.
$115
THOUSAND
DISPUTED LIABILITY RED LIGHT CRASH
Our client came to us with a low back injury after having been sued by a motorist in a disputed fault automobile collision. The police report placed fault on our client. They claimed he entered an intersection in his Porsche on a red light. This supposedly was the cause of a collision with a large pickup truck. The truck went on to collide with several more vehicles after the initial collision. The police report included numerous witness statements most of which blamed our client. After the course of the next two years, we took numerous depositions. Eventually, what we had known all along eventually became evident. The police report was wrong and it was actually the driver of the pickup who had run the red light. After multiple days of mandatory settlement conference, just before trial, the other driver’s insurance finally agreed to compensate our client for his back injury and paid $115,000 to settle the case.
DISPUTED LIABILITY RED LIGHT CRASH
Our client came to us with a low back injury after having been sued by a motorist in a disputed fault automobile collision. The police report placed fault on our client. They claimed he entered an intersection in his Porsche on a red light. This supposedly was the cause of a collision with a large pickup truck. The truck went on to collide with several more vehicles after the initial collision. The police report included numerous witness statements most of which blamed our client. After the course of the next two years, we took numerous depositions. Eventually, what we had known all along eventually became evident. The police report was wrong and it was actually the driver of the pickup who had run the red light. After multiple days of mandatory settlement conference, just before trial, the other driver’s insurance finally agreed to compensate our client for his back injury and paid $115,000 to settle the case.
$100
THOUSAND
VEHICLE COLLISION
While our clients, grandparents and their two grand-kids were driving through an intersection, another vehicle illegally turned left in front of our clients. The insurer for the other driver contended that the claimed injuries were not severe and not caused by the collision. After aggressive advocacy for our clients, we made a policy limits demand and contradicted the insurer’s position regrading our clients’ injuries. The insurer paid its entire policy to our clients.
VEHICLE COLLISION
While our clients, grandparents and their two grand-kids were driving through an intersection, another vehicle illegally turned left in front of our clients. The insurer for the other driver contended that the claimed injuries were not severe and not caused by the collision. After aggressive advocacy for our clients, we made a policy limits demand and contradicted the insurer’s position regrading our clients’ injuries. The insurer paid its entire policy to our clients.
Although these results may not indicate the possible outcome of your case, you can see that we work tirelessly to get the best possible results for our clients. To learn more about the potential value of your San Francisco car accident claim, call us now at 415.569.7495 or contact us to schedule your free consultation.
Injured? Don’t Delay.
Our car accident lawyers represent victims of accidents caused by negligent and reckless driving in San Francisco, Corte Madera, San Rafael, Mill Valley, Sausalito, and the surrounding Marin County areas. Here are some of the most common questions we get asked by our car accident clients.
Evidence for Proving Fault in a Rear End Crash
For anyone who has been involved in a recent collision, it is extremely important to understand that insurance companies are more likely to offer fair rear end collision settlements when liability is clear.
While most rear-end accidents are the fault of the driver who struck you from behind, it is important to gather as much evidence as possible in order to prove fault. Examples of the type of evidence you should gather at the scene of the collision include:
- Photographs of the damage and the scene itself, taken from multiple angles and perspectives;
- Names of and contact information for witnesses to the accident;
- Names of and contact information for anyone involved in the crash, as a driver or a passenger; and
- Police report that shows whether a citation was issued to a particular motorist (or motorists) for the crash.
Insurance Policy Limits
In most cases, people involved in a rear-end collision will file a third-party claim in California against the at fault party’s insurance policy. Depending upon the particular circumstances of your claim, California insurance law allows injured party to submit a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance and then its own, if the at-fault party’s insurance was insufficient to compensate for all of the losses.
Costs Associated with Damages and Losses
The average settlement for a rear end car accident depends largely upon the financial figure for a person’s damages and losses as a result of the accident. Since a person’s losses can vary widely from accident to accident, the amount of a settlement can vary, too.
You will need to provide information about your losses as the insurance company considers a settlement offer. Examples of losses may include:
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- Medical expenses;
- Property damage;
- Lost wages; and
- Loss of future earning capacity.
Contact a California Rear End Car Accident Attorney
If you need assistance negotiating a settlement in a rear-end accident claim, you should discuss your case with a California car accident lawyer today. Contact Wakeford Law for more information.
