What is fair for pain and suffering in a auto accident? Is the process do-able without a lawyer?

I was in a car accident about a month ago. I was rear ended on the interstate, two trips to the emergentcy room and one trip to a GP later I found out I have nerve damage along with all the sprains/bruising. Thing is I'm a cosmotology student about two weeks away from graduating and suddenly my primary hand is about useless, as in now that the swelling is gone I still can't use it because it shakes violently and I can't grip very hard at all. I don't know how serious the nerve damage is yet or if I'll recover since I haven't met with the actual nurologist, just the GP.

I spoke with a lawyer not long ago and he said not to release my medical records to anyone yet, don't understand why he doesn't want me to do that. I'm afraid to go with a lawyer since I know they take one third of the settlement and I'm not sure what sort of settlement I'm looking at here, so I really need some advice on this. If there are any good websites that lays out the process please feel free to link me!

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I was hurt once when a van backed over my left foot at work. My employer attempted to settle with me quickly because they knew it wasn't my fault. I called a nearby personal injury lawyer in my area who provided me useful advice and I was able to get a medium sized settlement to cover my insurance bills that weren't covered by my primary insurance. I'd suggest you find a personal injury in your city. http://www.accidentlawyerlocator.com My injury lawyer was help me because they hope to make some money from any potential case. Try visiting a lawyer to see if they can help.

Sorry to hear about your situation.

You need to ask around to find a reputable personal injury lawyer,

the insurance company will look to pay you the least possible amount, and you will have the legal burden in court threw independent third party testimony to prove how serious is the actual nerve damage, is it permanent, and finally how does that relate to a loss of potential income

uh...I'm betting without a lawyer, you'll never begin to see what this injury is worth. Sit down with a local personal injury atty with a good reputation and talk it over

Let's put it this way: You probably know a fair amount about cosmetology by now. How long have you gone to school for this - 1 year? 2? More?

Do you think that a truck driver, or plumber, or kindergarten teacher could style hair as well as you? Do they know how to clean tools, or dye someone's hair so that it looks natural as well as you?

Then consider that a lawyer typically goes to law school for maybe 3 years, and that's after they've earned a bachelor's degree. Then they will get a job and work maybe 60-80 hours a week for a few years to build experience. Along the way, they meet the local judges, learn their quirks and practices, and make contacts with the other attorneys, court clerks, and people in the courthouse who help handle cases. Hopefully they build a reputation for themselves as honest, hardworking, smart, and trustworthy lawyers. Probably just the same thing that you hope to do in the next few years, right?

My point is, if someone else can't do your job as well as you, why do you think that you can do their job better than the lawyer?

I am not a lawyer - I don't have the first clue about how to handle your case. You probably don't either. If I went in as your counsel, you'd probably wouldn't get two nickels to rub together. On the other hand, if a decent lawyer was able to get say, a $10,000 judgment for you, and kept one third, you'd still have $6,667.

Which is better in the long run?

It's impossible to say what your injury is worth without seeing the medical records. Definitely get an attorney. Insurance companies exist to make profit for their shareholders, not to give you money. They will eat you alive. Your claim is not just for the pain and suffering, but for the damage. If you cannot do you profession anymore you may have a very substantial claim, but their are very specific ways in which it must be proved. You might need an economist or a vocational rehabilitation expert for example. A good lawyer will know exactly what to do.

A lawyer will look at your case and decide how angle to fight the insurance company. If you release ur medical records, then that will give them the upper hand. They will try and say that your hand problem existed before the accident and basically decide the outcome before you speak. A lawyer knows the law and what you are entitled to. He is fighting on ur side. Even though he takes 1/3 and you get 2/3s. the 2/3s might be more than if you went at it alone.