Auto Insurance Claims: hit and run pain and suffering settlement, soft tissue injury, neck pain and headaches

Question
Hello,

I was involved in a hit and run accident a few weeks ago in MO. The claimant ran a stop sign and t-boned me spinning my car around and on top of a curb on the opposite side of the street. The driver got out of his huge truck, checked his license plate to make sure it was still intact, and drove off. To make things worse I waited for 2 hours and 15 minutes for the cops to show up! I had some neck pain and headaches for a few days and went to get checked out by my primary care physician. He diagnosed me with a mild concussion and whiplash. I haven't sustained any major injuries but I just finished nursing school and I am in the process of paying off $50,000 in addition worrying about finding myself a car with the $8,200 my insurance company gave me for the damages sustained. I was offered $1,000 for my pain and suffering. Does that sound right? I don't want to sound like a brat but I don't want to cut myself short either. Help please!

Answer
Hi Sadie,

Unfortunately, insurance companies only consider you to be injured if you treat for several months and run up thousands of dollars in medical bills. In this case you have a diagnosis but no extended treatment. Generally soft tissue injury claim settle for 2 to 3 times the total of the medical bills associated with the injury. So if you only went to a doctor once and had no follow up treatment the $1,000.00 is likely all you can hope for.

I hope this helps
Richard Hixenbaugh