How Much is a Rear-End Accident Worth?

Rear-end accident settlements are not the same for every rear-end collision. Similar accidents might be worth dramatically more based on insurance coverage and other factors. The average rear-end collision payout is likely to fall somewhere between $3,000 and $20,000. However, in minor accidents, settlements may be as low as a few hundred dollars. Maximum payouts are much higher in cases where extensive damage or serious injuries are involved.

That’s why the average payout for a rear-end collision is not that important. Instead, injury victims need to understand how much their specific rear-end collision is worth. And to do that, injury victims need to take into account all their accident-related expenses.

This is why many people sometimes end up getting far less money than they rightfully deserve. Insurance companies often only take into account short-term expenses (like emergency medical care and vehicle repairs) when calculating someone’s settlement offer. Your settlement offer should take into account all future, anticipated expenses, which can dramatically increase how much money you should receive for your rear-end accident settlement.

Examples of Car Accident Settlements from The Marye Law Firm, P.C.:

• $1.25 Million Settlement - failed to stop at a stop sign (fractured skull and had a metal plate inserted in his head)
• $850,000 settlement
• $400,000 Settlement - driver fell asleep at the wheel

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Yes. If you believe you deserve more money for your rear-end accident settlement, you can and should ask for more money. Insurance companies are hoping you will simply accept their first settlement offer, which is often a lowball offer.

Keep in mind that once you agree to accept an offer, that’s it. You can’t come back years later and ask for more money. This is why you should carefully consider any settlement offer you receive for your rear-end accident. If you believe you deserve more money, you should ask for it.

You should also seek assistance from an experienced rear-end accident attorney. Your lawyer can attempt to negotiate a better offer and deal directly with insurance companies on your behalf.

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I was rear-ended, can I sue?

It depends on the state you live in and the severity of your injuries, but in general, yes, you can file a lawsuit seeking damages (financial compensation) for your rear-end accident. In many cases, this might be the best way to get the maximum financial compensation you deserve for your accident-related expenses.

However, keep in mind that filing a lawsuit can be a very complicated, detail-oriented process. And if you make a mistake at any point in the process, your lawsuit could be dismissed or not given the attention it rightfully deserves.

You also need to consider other factors, such as where to file your lawsuit and who you are taking legal action against. All of these issues can be addressed with the help of an experienced rear-end accident lawyer licensed to practice law in your state.

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Ideally, insurance companies should take into account all your accident-related expenses when determining the total amount of your rear-end accident offer. Such calculations should include:

• All medical expenses related to your rear-end accident, including anticipated future medical bills for future medical care, such as follow-up doctor’s appointments, additional surgery and physical therapy.
• All vehicle repairs or the cost of replacing your car if it’s a total loss.
• Replacement income if you cannot work while you’re recovering from your rear-end accident injury.
• Lost future income if cannot return to work due to a permanent disability sustained in your rear-end collision.

If the insurance company doesn’t take all of these expenses into account when determining the full amount of your settlement offer, odds are your settlement offer is not accurate. That’s why you need a lawyer on your side, demanding the maximum financial compensation you deserve.

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Rear end collision settlement calculator

Many insurance companies and rear-end accident lawyers advertise collision settlement calculators. These tools supposedly tell you how much your rear-end claim is worth, sometimes down to the exact dollar amount.

But such settlement calculators are only as good as the numbers entered into them. And many injury victims might not realize all the accident-related expenses they should be compensated for. As a result, the suggested amount offered by a settlement calculator might not accurately reflect how much money injury victims may be eligible to receive.

Meeting with an experienced rear-end accident attorney and explaining what happened is a better way to estimate how much money injury victims can expect (or should demand) to receive in the form of a rear-end accident claim. Experienced lawyers know what expenses often get overlooked and can take them into account when estimating your injury claim.

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Here again, there’s no set dollar amount when it comes to rear-end accident verdicts. Judges and juries don’t have charts or books they refer to when coming up with a verdict amount. Juries can be fickle. It depends on the jurisdiction, the facts of the case, and the quality of your legal representation.

This is why injury victims should have a rear-end accident attorney on their side with actual courtroom experience. Experienced lawyers carefully investigate every accident and know how to gather strong evidence in support of a rear-end accident lawsuit. That way, their clients can ideally receive the maximum financial compensation they deserve in the form of a rear-end accident verdict.

Value of different rear-end accident injuries

As you might suspect, there’s no single dollar amount when it comes to specific types of rear-end accident injuries. Similar injuries might be worth vastly different amounts. What matters is that all expenses are taken into account when determining the total amount of each injury claim. 

In particular, such calculations should include all medical visits and doctor’s appointments, including surgery, follow-up doctor’s appointments, physical therapy, and any emergency room (ER) visits.

To better understand this, let’s consider some of the most common rear-end accident injuries:

• Back injury – If someone sustains a back injury in a rear-end collision, they might need back surgery, physical therapy, and medical devices (such as a wheelchair or walker) if they sustained a serious, permanent back injury.
• Neck injury – Depending on the severity and the location of the neck injury, medical care could include regular doctor’s appointments, massage therapy, and time off from work due to severe neck pain.
• Whiplash – Sometimes dismissed as a minor neck injury, whiplash is very real and can have very serious financial consequences. Whiplash injury victims might need regular physical therapy, prescription pain medications, and time off from work to rest and recover.
• Concussion – A common type of rear-end accident injury, concussions can affect an injury victim’s ability to think and perform complex mental tasks. As a result, concussion injury victims might need extensive time off from work, and physical therapy and perhaps even need to stay in a hospital overnight for observation, all of which can add up to a significant rear-end injury claim.

What is a fair offer for a rear-end collision settlement?

A "fair offer" will rely on the circumstances of the accident. Were the injuries minor like whiplash, a sore back or neck, or serious like broken bones, a herniated disc, or spinal fusion? Other factors, such as property damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering will also impact the value of your claim. Insurance coverage of the at-fault driver can also impact the offer you receive. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you to assess all of these damages and will negotiate with the insurance company to ensure that you receive a fair settlement.

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We realize many rear-end injury victims want to settle their cases as quickly as possible. That’s why insurance companies often make lowball settlement offers soon after a rear-end accident. They’re hoping that injury victims accept such an offer right away. That is why settlements can take anywhere from 30 to 90 days or up to several years.

But such quick offers often don’t even come close to covering all your rear-end accident expenses. And unfortunately, settling some rear-end accident claims takes longer than most people expect. This means that some injury victims might have to wait several months or even longer to get the money they rightfully deserve.

Why is my rear-end settlement taking so long?

Odds are if you’re reading this part of the page, you’ve already been waiting several months or longer to get the money you rightfully deserve in the form of a rear-end accident offer.

Be patient. It’s unusual for rear-end accident injury victims to wait several months or even longer to get the money they rightfully deserve. But it’s important to realize that such settlement negotiations can be complicated and contentious since both sides rarely agree on how much money injury victims should receive.

This is especially true when it comes to rear-end accident negotiations. Insurance companies often downplay the seriousness of such accidents. They might not even believe you’re hurt.

This is why you need an experienced rear-end accident lawyer on your side, fighting for the money you rightfully deserve. Along with demanding the maximum financial compensation, your attorney might even be able to speed up the negotiation process, especially if insurance companies know you’re serious about filing a rear-end accident lawsuit if necessary.

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