Auto Insurance Claims: How do I know how much to settle my claim for?, case worth, pain and suffering

Question
Hello. I was in an auto accident on Christmas 08 and am about to settle my claim next week. I was the passenger and the accident was deemed our fault. I was diagnosed with multiple concussions and was taken by ambulance to the ER from the scene. In the end my medical bills were a little over $7,000 and it wasn't until mid February that i finally felt normal again. I went back to the doctor twice after the ER visit and was on steroids for about a month and a half. I've read around on the Internet that the longer i was on medication and longer i was sick, the more i should get for pain and suffering. I'm not employed so i didn't miss any work or anything. I'm just wanting something to go on since i have absolutely no idea how to negotiate or what a good settlement would be. I would really appreciate any advice you could give me! Thanks so much.

Answer
In my opinion, your case is worth about $13,000-$15,000.  When negotiating, start higher than you think you can get.  The adjuster will start on the low end of his/her range.  Go back and forth and try to meet in the middle.  Make sure you can explain the impact the accident had on your life.  Make a list of things that make your case worth more and mention one or two each time the adjuster tells you why the case is worth less.  You can hire an attorney to do this for you, but he/she will take 30-40% of your settlement and you'll probably end up with less in the long run.

I am not an attorney and this is not a legal opinion, just my opinion.