Legal Question in Personal Injury in Georgia

Re: Lost Wages for spouse in my Auto Accident case

I couldn't concur with Mr. Ashman more and wish to reinforce what he has said with a real world example. I am handling a similar case now for a 19 year-old. His non-lawyer father was ready to have him settle for about $3K in medicals and $2K for pain and suffering. Luckily, he consulted me and I discovered his meds were 3 times that! He was six months in rehab. Liability insurance companies are not shocked to expect to pay 3 times meds just for pain and suffering. And the statute of limitations would have expired in only 3 months hadn't they contacted me. I'm expecting to get this kid closer to $25K to $30K. Get a good lawyer. They often work on contingencies in these kinds of cases.

Re: Lost Wages for spouse in my Auto Accident case

He has a loss of consortium claim. You can always make it the amount of his loss. Don't trust any car insurance company.

Re: Lost Wages for spouse in my Auto Accident case

One of the worst things you can do is to try and negotiate with the insurer without a lawyer. Study after study shows that people who do this get far smaller setlements than people who hire lawyers. The fact that you are focused on a fairly small number that is not compensable (lost wages for a spouse generally are not) reinforces that. The damages from all but the most minor of injuries would usually be greater than what you're focused on (bear in mind I have no information on your case).

I should advise you not to letthe statute of limitations expire. Then you get zero.

It may not be too late to get a lawyer and do this right, although you may have done too much damage to your case to help now. A lawyer would have drafted a proper demand package and negotiated properly. Consider whether you should stop now and hire counsel.

A final note: since the insurance company is working against you, everything you say may be used against you in your case.