What you should do if this happens to you!
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| Ways to save on your auto insurance |
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Shop around and compare prices. A list of companies can be found in your local yellow pages of your phone book.
Maintain a good driving record.
Take the highest deductible the insurance will allow for collision and comprehensive coverage. A higher deductible will lower your premium.
More ways to save!
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Putting A Value On A Bodily Injury Claim
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering is the legal term for the physical and emotional stress caused from an injury. Some damages that might be under this category would be: aches, pain, temporary and permanent limitations on activity, potential shortening of life, depression or scarring.
When filing a lawsuit as a result of an injury, it is common for someone to seek money both in compensation for actual money that is lost and for the pain and stress associated with virtually any injury. In a suit, pain and suffering is part of the "general damages" section of the plaintiff's claim, or, alternatively, it is an element of "compensatory" non economic damages that allows recovery for the mental anguish and/or physical pain endured by the plaintiff as a result of injury for which the plaintiff seeks compensation.
The amount of money damages a claimant gets for pain and suffering will first depending upon the amount claimed in a lawsuit if such is filed or the amount demanded to the responsible party in the underlying claim if it is an insurance claim. Even though a lawyer representing a client in an injury negligence based lawsuit may claim a certain amount for pain and suffering, the jury or the insurance adjuster will award pain and suffering money for differing reasons
Putting a value on pain and suffering is probably the most difficult task for a jury in any injury case. There is no scientific formula and no chart or table juries, attorneys or insurance companies can look to. Every injury, every injured person, every accident and every case is different and deserves a thorough evaluation. Two people can have the same injury and one can suffer little while the other suffers a great deal; or one offers better proof than the other with more complete documentation or better witnesses.
There are many, many factors that must be taken into account to determine how much money someone will get for their pain and suffering. Juries and insurance companies look at the credibility of the witnesses. Were the injured person's actions consistent with those of someone who was in pain? Were there any pre-existing injuries? Were they able to do what they normally do in their everyday lives, or were they forced to change or reduce their activities. What is their tolerance for pain in general? What do they do for a living? What is their marital status and family situation? How sympathetic a witness do they make?
All of these factors go into the evaluation of pain and suffering.
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More Information:
How long does it take to settle a claim?
Putting a value on a claim
Structured settlements
About 115 people die every day in vehicle crashes in the United States, estimating one death every 13 minutes.
California leads the nation in traffic fatalities. More than 4,000 sustain serious injuries, such as quadriplegia, paraplegia, brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries.
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Insurance Resources
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