Visitor Question

Settlement for bulging discs?

Submitted By: Jamie (Louisiana)

I was involved in an auto accident where the other party was 100% at fault. I have had continuous care with a physician, and had 2 MRI’s which is where they found the bulging discs (multiple). I have $5700 in medical bills. I am trying to figure out what would be a fair settlement demand for all this. Any tips? Thanks.

Disclaimer: Our response is not formal legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. It is generic legal information based on the very limited information provided. Do not rely upon the information in our response, or anywhere else on this site, when deciding the proper course of a legal matter. Always get a personalized case review from a local attorney.

Answer

Dear Jamie,

While attorneys and insurance companies rely on sophisticated software to arrive at settlement demands, those representing themselves must rely on more basic methods.

There is a simple way to determine the amount of your settlement demand. For relatively minor soft tissue injuries, parties can normally take their medical bills and multiply them by anywhere from 1½ to 2x, or at most, 3x.

Soft tissue injuries can include minor cuts, abrasions and burns, sprained ligaments, muscles, and tendons, and similar injuries. For more serious “hard injuries” such as fractures, disk herniations, 3rd degree burns, and the like, the multiplier raises to anywhere from 3-5x, or for very serious or permanent injuries, much more.

Using a multiplier of 3x, a reasonable settlement demand in your claim would be about $17,100. Add to that all your lost wages and other expenses to come up with a total for your initial demand. You can negotiate down from there.

Learn more here: Car Accident Back Injury Compensation

The above is general information. Laws change frequently, and across jurisdictions. You should get a personalized case evaluation from a licensed attorney.

Find a local attorney to give you a free case review here, or call 888-972-0892.

We wish you the best with your claim,

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