Hi everyone! I’m hoping to get some perspective from people who are familiar with insurance claims because this is my first time handling one myself.
I was in a car accident in August 2025. The other driver pulled out in front of me and was found at fault, but they ended up being uninsured, so the claim is being handled through my uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage.
I handled everything without an attorney. I recently finished treatment and sent all of my records to the adjuster. They just called and made their first offer, and I’m trying to figure out if it’s reasonable or if I should counter.
Medical treatment timeline:
• Urgent care immediately after the accident
• Chiropractic care
• Follow-up with my primary care doctor and thoracic spine X-rays
• MRI of the thoracic spine (came back normal)
• Physical therapy
My PCP diagnosed it as upper back pain/strain after the accident, and physical therapy later noted thoracic joint dysfunction with muscle guarding in that area. Total medical bills (provider charges) came to $7,398.
The pain lasted about 5 months and was mainly in the middle of my back (between my shoulder blades). It made things like lifting my child and sitting for long periods uncomfortable for quite a while. Physical therapy helped and I’ve since improved, which is why I ended treatment.
The adjuster’s first settlement offer was $9,075 for the bodily injury portion.
I’ve never negotiated something like this before andI want to be fair and realistic. I’m not trying to push for something outrageous, but I also don’t want to accept the first offer if it’s common for these to start low.
Should I accept the settlement or counter?
If so, what range would usually be reasonable for something like this?
Any general insight would be really appreciated!
Posted by twisted_embers
5 Comments
Without knowing venue we truly have no idea what this is worth. If they’re coming in at under $10,000 I’m pretty confident in saying they have this valued at or below $15,000. Is that fair? Idk. Not enough info.
You’re paying an attorney 30-40% of your settlement, did you ask them these questions?
Ask your attorney, that is why you are paying them.
So you said this is a UIM claim, what did you get from the other carrier?
Sorry OP, some people do not have very good reading comprehension skills. Settlement offers can vary a lot depending on what state you’re in and the laws there. For example, I live in Georgia where tort reform legislation passed recently, and we’ve seen lower settlement offers since then. The insurance companies are testing the boundaries of the new law. Without knowing more about your injuries and your venue, the offer sounds a low. You’d have to pay an attorney 1/3 (that’s the standard PI rate around here) of the settlement, but you also get some benefits in that the attorney’s office will also negotiate with the medical providers to try and get your bills reduced so there’s less to pay back.
Not sure why it won’t let me edit my first comment, but to actually answer your question – you should counter and keep countering until they tell you that’s their final offer.