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Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 6/30/2008 6:17:29 PM
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lewbcw
Posts: 29
Joined: 4/6/2008
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Hello Everyone,
I have a question for those who have either gone through an accident related insurance settlement or can provide Christian insight based on my particular situation (this is long, but I will get to my dilemma at the end).
I had in accident in February 2008 in which I had medical bills of exactly $1,108 and lost wages of $480 (several days from taking off work to see doctor/physical therapist). The total concrete amount for lost wages and med bills was: $1,588.00
The good news is: I am not at fault, as the person who hit me from behind was unable to break in time and admitted fault immediately at the scene of the accident to police officer. (Interestingly, I believe he too was a Christian, because we had the accident at a Christian university.) Also, very thankfully, I was not hurt very bad. Just a lot of lower back soreness, but nothing serious. Now given that we both have the same insurance provider and he admitted fault, this is a very simple case in which I can claim any bills and losses and our provider must pay me directly. I have a $1,000 allowance on my policy which I've used, making my total unreimbursed expenses: $588.00
Recently, I called the insurance claims negotiator, who asked me what my damages were and I said I had a few days of missed work and med bills that were unpaid and that I would send them paper work for the claim. On the phone, she asked me roughly what that amount was and I believe I gave her a rough estimate at the time (I definitely do not recall giving her an exact amount, since I was not at home to see my bills and dates missed)....Without contacting me again or verifying the paper work, the negotiator sent me a check for $1,000.00
To recap, I had $588.00 in concrete unreimursed damages and was given a check for $1,000.00
I was a bit confused, because I thought she needed to verify the information from my employer and doctors, but when I called her she said no no, don't worry about it. You can just accept the money now if you agree to this settlement. I told her I wanted to take a bit more time to verify things and make sure nothing is wrong.
After consultation with doctors, all of them said I was fine and needed no further treatment. This was good news. So my total loss was still at $588.00 (not including any pain/suffering/lost time type of claims).
However, after discussing things with a few people, I was told that I could also claim lost time and pain and suffering that was in addition to my medical bills and missing work days. I thought about all of that and felt my pain was not very significant and lost time was probably one or two days, due to having to file a lot of paper work, calling doctors for insurance related procedures and talking on the phone for hours. As a result, I added $250.00 in lost time and general pain and suffering and annoyance to my claim of $588.00 to make it a total of $838.00
So I called the insurance negotiator and said that I felt I wanted to add approx. $250.00 to my $588.00 for lost time and general annoyance of having to deal with the accident procedures. I said that she gave me $1,000.00, when I was only claiming $838.00 and that I wanted to return $162.00 ....At that point, she said no no, don't worry about it, why don't you just keep the full $1,000.00. I explained that I approximated my lost time and minimal pain and suffering to be $250.00, but didn't feel it was that bad, so I wanted to give back the extra and she went on to say that I was definitely entitled to that full $1,000.00 if I wanted it. I said I had never negotiated something like pain/suffering or lost time, so it was a bit confusing to me and she said it is vague at times, but that's why they have negotiators. It's not an exact science and when you negotiate, you can take what is approximately fair. I kept saying I felt bad about this and she kept saying no no, do not feel bad, you can definitely take that money.
In explaining that I was a Christian and that I was worried about taking more than I deserved, the woman paused and said, "Sir, let me just say you are one in a thousand, or may one in a million that we talk to every day. I'm more than happy to offer you that settlement for $1,000.00 and would feel no problems at all with you taking it and claiming the extra amount as part of your pain/suffering/lost time. My opinion is that you should just keep the extra amount and consider it a closed case. I'll leave it up to you, but if you agree to accept the settlement, there is no need to send in any other paperwork or do any verification. And if you actually wanted to claim more money for pain and suffering, we can go ahead and give you that too. Remember you are entitled to it. So you decide and let me know ok?"
Now having heard this, my general understanding is that the woman was suggesting that I could technically claim more for pain and suffering and lost time/annoyance than I was doing and that it was weird for me to be giving back money to them. I have a couple of questions here.
Assuming that I myself did not think I was hurt that bad and only had a few days of lost time (outside of lost wages, which were already covered), would it be ok to accept the extra $162.00 she said I could keep for pain/suffering, etc.? Her opinion is that it's very typical for people in my cases to claim a good chunk of pain and suffering reimbursement, but for me, it's not that big of a deal. I was just glad I wasn't hurt very bad and had minimal time off. I do understand her point that the pain/suffering and lost time is not concrete and negotiable, so I do not mind if they want to give me more. But at the same time, I do not necessarily feel I deserve it, if that makes sense. The pain/suffering is essentially an estimate that they try to negotiate with me (I guess they're hoping I accept less...so I'm wondering if they low-balled me the first time....since people frequently try to rip insurance companies off) and I ended up thinking they estimated it as being more than what I deserved. So that was possibly why she almost laughed at me seeing that I wanted to give some back.  It seemed like the negotiator was even pleased that I would accept their first offer, let alone want to give some back.
I did want to ask what you might do in this situation and/or if there was something I was possibly missing here?
The only final piece to this that may be relevant is that insurance companies are often pressured to settle a claim quickly in which one of their insured is at fault, because once it is settled, future damages cannot be claimed. I was told it was a one time deal and that I have up to three years to settle my claim with them. If I settle prior to the three year limit, I cannot add anything on to the claim even if I have continuing problems later. So if my doctor says I'm fine today and I settle my claim tomorrow. ...If I find I have recurring problems a few months later, I cannot add on to my claim through my insurance provider. So if I do not need the money immediately (which I actually do), then it would be to my benefit to make the claim at the end of the three year period to best protect myself. But having talked to all my doctors, they all feel I am fine, so that is why I had no problems settling all damages now.
The main question is, is it ok to take the full $1,000.00 they are offering, even if it is more than the $838.00 I claimed? ...Would that be wrong in God's eyes?
Thanks for your input in advance.
lewbcw
< Message edited by lewbcw -- 6/30/2008 6:29:05 PM >
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 6/30/2008 6:24:16 PM
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GroupW
Posts: 2713
Joined: 11/16/2007
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I'd say thank you and keep the check. Contrary to popular opinion, insurance companies occasionally do try to do the right thing, particularly when the dollar amounts are small and both parties are clients. It's way more important that they keep your business than to save a hundred bucks here or there.
For them, this isn't even a rounding error. They can pay it out and have two happy clients that they can continue to do business with. If you want to make it right, next time you're thinking about switching insurance companies over a couple of bucks difference in premiums, remember this one incident.
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 6/30/2008 6:29:20 PM
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MrFribbles
Posts: 1240
Joined: 1/29/2007
From: Hawaii, but I've moved around since then
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quote:
The main question is, is it ok to take the full $1,000.00 they are offering, even if it is more than the $838.00 I claimed? ...Would that be wrong in God's eyes?
If I understand your post correctly (which may be unlikely, given my lack of experience in the world of insurance), I would feel safe in saying that any time we have the opportunity to get more money than we rightly deserve, then we are not to take it, if it involves known action on your part. Luke 3:10-14 speaks about this.
So, if you're wondering if you should take more than you feel you deserve, I would say no, you should not.
_____________________________
You're a door without a key,
A field without a fence.
You've made a holy fool of me,
And I've thanked you ever since.
- Aaron Weiss
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 6/30/2008 6:49:41 PM
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earthless
Posts: 5732
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: where pigeons are getting their sweaters ready....
Status: offline
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Take the $1,000 and consider it a closed case.
_____________________________
Probing Today's Religious Movements | Promoting Doctrinal Discernment & Critical Thinking | Providing Reasons for Christian Faith & Ethics
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 6/30/2008 6:55:45 PM
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lewbcw
Posts: 29
Joined: 4/6/2008
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: MrFribbles
quote:
The main question is, is it ok to take the full $1,000.00 they are offering, even if it is more than the $838.00 I claimed? ...Would that be wrong in God's eyes?
If I understand your post correctly (which may be unlikely, given my lack of experience in the world of insurance), I would feel safe in saying that any time we have the opportunity to get more money than we rightly deserve, then we are not to take it, if it involves known action on your part. Luke 3:10-14 speaks about this.
So, if you're wondering if you should take more than you feel you deserve, I would say no, you should not.
Hi Mr. Fribbles,
I think you have the right idea. And I also agree with your ethical point from Scripture.
There is one slight qualifier I'd make here in that the amount of money that is owed me is not concrete. That was/is the problem I seem to face.
When someone offers you money for pain and suffering and/or lost time (not related to wages), it is kind of weird to calculate how much you deserve (at least for me it was weird, given it was my first time). I definitely felt I was annoyed by the initial soreness in my back, but it was not very bad. It lasted several days. The extra time I had to spend on the phone and doing paperwork was probably two days total (though I am still technically spending time on this as we speak). So it was odd for me to give a specific amount. It's a very vague kind of thing and I realize that negotiators try to work with you to figure out a fair amount. The very odd part I felt was that when I gave an estimate for my pain and suffering and lost time, it was $250.00 ...and the negotiator said that I could just take the extra $162.00 and that in many cases, people in my shoes would actually ask for more. ...
That was odd again. Now, I might actually even ask, should I be asking for more? Although, I really do not feel I deserve a whole lot more. I just basically gave them a kind of inexperienced estimate and the woman felt it was not only fair, but that I should/could just go ahead and keep the extra $162.00 I kind of had a gut feeling she was thrilled that I would even accept her initial offer of $1,000.00 straight. So I do not know what the average or typical person in my shoes asks for in these situations. I wondered if I should have gotten a lawyer or more/better advice? My gut, however, tells me that this is not a big deal and that I do not need a lawyer, nor feel that I suffered a great deal from my accident. I had soreness and several days of lost time and $250.00 seemed like a fair estimate to me when I said it. Would I take more? I don't know...that's why this is weird.
I suppose the good neighbor/good business viewpoint that GroupW said might make some sense here. I can see if I owned a restaurant and a customer got their steak burnt that I would offer them another steak free of charge and maybe throw in an extra dessert for their hassle. Even if the customer felt he/she didn't deserve an extra dessert on top of the free steak, I would still offer it for good business measures. I would feel I did something extra for my customer to let them know I valued their business and wanted to give them the best service and keep them as clientele. ....
I don't know. I wonder if this is simply a gray area that has no answer? The more I think about it, it's not a big deal to me, but I do want to make sure I handle things correctly in God's eyes.
Now hopefully I can make a choice on this settlement soon, so that I do not waste even more time, lol! 
lewbcw
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 6/30/2008 6:55:50 PM
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IonMoon
Posts: 977
Joined: 4/21/2005
From: The Unted State of Confusion
Status: offline
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It may seem like it is more than *you* think it should be, however it is NOT more than the law says you deserve. There is nothing wrong with keeping money you are legally entitled to.
What would be wrong, would be claiming you were hurt worse than you really were in order to get more or saying there was more damage to the car than there was.
For instance, we recently had an accident (not my dh fault) and some damage was done to the car. When the insurance guy came to photograph/document damage, he started to include some dents that were there before the accident. My husband stopped him and explained. Allowing him to claim that would have been dishonest.
If I crochet a blanket and sell it on Ebay and someone ends up paying much more for it than I think it is worth... I am not dishonest to take the money. They just value it more than I do. To them it is worth it.
The insurance company in this case is determining that your pain, suffering, etc. is worth a certain amount (as was said, you could easily make a case for MORE and get it). You have been honest & forthright and it would not be at all unethical to accept this money.
Feel free to use it to buy food for the hungry, etc. if you don't feel you need it.
Tara P
_____________________________
http://www.geocities.com/hallscola67/KyliesHomemadeShopIndex.htm
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 6/30/2008 6:59:46 PM
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IonMoon
Posts: 977
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From: The Unted State of Confusion
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Ethical considerations aside... one reason you may want to consider NOT settling (at least w/o a lawyer) is that you may very well find that in a few months (or even years) down the road that you have problems that just didn't surface right away. I have known of people that happened to.
Accepting a settlement like this typically means you sign away your right to any further damamges later.
Tara P
_____________________________
http://www.geocities.com/hallscola67/KyliesHomemadeShopIndex.htm
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 6/30/2008 7:18:56 PM
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lewbcw
Posts: 29
Joined: 4/6/2008
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quote:
ORIGINAL: rainbowtvp
Ethical considerations aside... one reason you may want to consider NOT settling (at least w/o a lawyer) is that you may very well find that in a few months (or even years) down the road that you have problems that just didn't surface right away. I have known of people that happened to.
Accepting a settlement like this typically means you sign away your right to any further damamges later.
Tara P
Thank you so much Tara. I liked your analogy of the blanket earlier. That seems to make the most sense in terms of how to view my current situation. I just felt it was a gray area that was difficult to determine an exact answer for and now that I consider the analogy you gave, it makes sense that it is ok to accept the value I am offered. I think I will go ahead and accept their offer in the next couple of days (plus, it means I do not have to waste much more time on this myself).
As far as the waiver of rights to future damages, I realize that's the risk we all have to take. I am not an expert on that area, but what I deduced from talking to my doctors was that I was fine and this was not a serious accident. I definitely hope nothing happens later, but it is hard to predict that at the moment given what I know. I am probably going to just have to accept that risk and take the offer.
Would you or anyone else know of any other reason or concern to not settle this claim as is at the moment?
lewbcw
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 7/1/2008 10:40:42 PM
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Kath
Posts: 16988
Joined: 2/28/2005
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quote:
I had in accident in February 2008 in which I had medical bills of exactly $1,108 and lost wages of $480 (several days from taking off work to see doctor/physical therapist). The total concrete amount for lost wages and med bills was: $1,588.00
From what I understand from several people I know who were in accidents and were awarded pain and suffering, the insurance companies usually figures double what the medical bills are, so you are really at a loss, not gain. Pain and suffering in your case could be 2200.00 They are probably glad you are settling for so little.
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 7/2/2008 4:21:18 AM
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Liveloved
Posts: 1620
Joined: 1/22/2008
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quote:
I did want to ask what you might do in this situation and/or if there was something I was possibly missing here?
lewbcw,
I would not take the money. You know (as you have stated) that you do not need it or deserve it. I think that commendable.
We have created a monster in this country through the insurance industry. The dishonesty, the greed, and the evil all shows us exactly what is in us, in the heart of man. In general, it is all about selfishness and my getting what I think I deserve. As with many things, it was created (the industry) with good and right intentions. But we tend to have our way with things and now we have the system that we have.
I have been in your shoes (or car). I was rearended several years ago. At the time of the accident, I said, "Lord, you could have stopped that car from hitting me. You did not. I am trusting you in this." I have had serious neurological symptoms since the accident. I did not seek any financial compensation nor would I---even for medical bills. It was an accident---she did not intend to hit me. And God in His grace will care for me. He is faithful.
So I hope you stay with what you know is right. I think it would be sin for you to do otherwise. Bless ya! 
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 7/2/2008 10:51:28 AM
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lewbcw
Posts: 29
Joined: 4/6/2008
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Liveloved
quote:
I did want to ask what you might do in this situation and/or if there was something I was possibly missing here?
lewbcw,
I would not take the money. You know (as you have stated) that you do not need it or deserve it. I think that commendable.
We have created a monster in this country through the insurance industry. The dishonesty, the greed, and the evil all shows us exactly what is in us, in the heart of man. In general, it is all about selfishness and my getting what I think I deserve. As with many things, it was created (the industry) with good and right intentions. But we tend to have our way with things and now we have the system that we have.
I have been in your shoes (or car). I was rearended several years ago. At the time of the accident, I said, "Lord, you could have stopped that car from hitting me. You did not. I am trusting you in this." I have had serious neurological symptoms since the accident. I did not seek any financial compensation nor would I---even for medical bills. It was an accident---she did not intend to hit me. And God in His grace will care for me. He is faithful.
So I hope you stay with what you know is right. I think it would be sin for you to do otherwise. Bless ya!
Hi Liveloved,
I'm so sorry to hear about your accident and I thank you for sharing your thoughts and encouragement here with me. I do and did feel a need to examine my heart on this issue in order to make sure that taking the compensation settlement for this accident was ok. I ended up taking the full $1,000.00 yesterday after considering what GroupW had written above. The amount they offered me was slightly more than what I had expected (but not by a whole lot), but I took GroupW's analogy of the blanket story as a guide for my decision and ultimately felt it was a reasonable settlement. (I definitely think if they offered me $10,000+ or something ridiculous, that I would probably not take it and return what I thought was unnecessary and too much on their part.)
I was a bit concerned Liveloved when you mentioned that you did not accept or seek out financial compensation for your own accident. I think you have a very pure heart from what you wrote and it is very very humbling for me. From what I understand, you chose not to seek financial reimbursement for your medical care (which continues now) and general pain and suffering and lost time, because you felt it was an accident and not a malicious or reckless act on the part of the driver who hit you? I was worried to hear this, because although I think you have a very loving and pure heart that it is still ok and right to make these claims against someone. I commend your heart for realizing it was an accident on the part of the other driver and it is good that you do not hold anything personal against them. I thought this in itself was a very pure and well-intentioned reaction. My concern, though, was with you being willing to accept a structured process of reimbursement for the damages you suffered. With the insurance claims process set up to handle these situations, I hoped that you could understand that it is completely ok to have the other party's insurance compensate you for damages, because the insurance premiums everyone pays covers this. You would not be commiting any kind of sin or fraud, because this is what is owed to you. (If you took something that did not belong to you, that would be different.) And insurance companies take on all of these risks when they ask us to pay insurance premiums, based on our history and background. These are the calculated risks that insurance companies take (and make money on) and the system is set up to protect against the unfortunate situations that come up like this. We all don't want to ever get into an accident, nor cause one, but if and when that happens, the insurance companies help protect everyone from any damages that may arise from this unfortunate and accidental situations.
I hope you might reconsider seeking reimbursement for your losses Liveloved knowing that it is not at all wrong to do so and that you won't be hurting anyone in the process. You sound like a very caring and humble person seeking to do right and I hope God continues to bless and protect you.
How are you doing by the way with any lingering physical pain? Are you ok in everyday life?
lewbcw
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 7/2/2008 10:56:00 AM
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Kath
Posts: 16988
Joined: 2/28/2005
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quote:
I have been in your shoes (or car). I was rearended several years ago. At the time of the accident, I said, "Lord, you could have stopped that car from hitting me. You did not. I am trusting you in this." I have had serious neurological symptoms since the accident. I did not seek any financial compensation nor would I---even for medical bills. It was an accident---she did not intend to hit me. And God in His grace will care for me. He is faithful.
Perhaps He had intended to take care of you through her insurance. That is what she pays into it for, accidents. Insurance usually will not pay for "On purposes".
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 7/2/2008 11:44:00 AM
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Qtman
Posts: 10664
Joined: 3/21/2006
From: Crimson Tide Country
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Kath
quote:
I have been in your shoes (or car). I was rearended several years ago. At the time of the accident, I said, "Lord, you could have stopped that car from hitting me. You did not. I am trusting you in this." I have had serious neurological symptoms since the accident. I did not seek any financial compensation nor would I---even for medical bills. It was an accident---she did not intend to hit me. And God in His grace will care for me. He is faithful.
Perhaps He had intended to take care of you through her insurance. That is what she pays into it for, accidents. Insurance usually will not pay for "On purposes".
Dang. And I shot off my toe for nothing.
_____________________________
Don't take life here to seriously. No one gets out alive.
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 7/2/2008 2:15:03 PM
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endless_night
Posts: 74
Joined: 6/17/2008
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The insurance company told you to keep it, so keep it. Thank God for the blessings that He has given you and after you have given Him in offering out of the $838 that you tried to claim, go ahead and give Him the $162 if you still don't feel right about having it.
_____________________________
The Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praises endures forever.
Psalms 111:10
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 7/31/2008 2:21:52 PM
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lewbcw
Posts: 29
Joined: 4/6/2008
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This is just a final update about the insurance settlement process. I had not been aware of the completely structured process by which insurance companies negotiate payments on claims of pain and suffering, lost wages/time, and medical bills.
After learning more from searching the internet, I realized that the process was very normal, yet vague when it comes to calculating "pain and suffering." I think taking on this issue as a Christian, then, requires a righteous and truthful heart to make sure we do not sin in this kind of gray area that is common in the insurance industry.
From what I read on the internet, when it comes to settling a claim for accidents there are concrete losses (such as medical bills and lost wages) and then there are more nebulous and vague types of claims, such as future medical bills/considerations and pain and suffering.
In those vague and gray areas, it is easy to miscalculate a reasonable/fair settlement because those bills/costs are not concrete. It's most easy to miscalculate or agree on a calculation of pain and suffering, because that kind of thing is subjective. What might be a minor scratch and cut for one person may feel traumatic for another, etc. On top of not having a universal measuring stick for calculating these areas, there are also the conflicts of interest and tensions going on between the insurance claims adjustors and the claimant (and their potential lawyers). I read that claims adjustors are told by their supervisors to always low-ball or offer the least possible settlement amount within a workable range, based on the accident and medical facts (assuming they are not trying to cheat you even in that area, in which case you might want a lawyer), so that the company doesn't lose a lot of money. At that point, after an initial offer (almost always a low-ball offer), the claimant has a right to ask for more (usually no one asks for less - as I did!, lol) and the negotiation continues. It's only when the claimant has asked for more than the workable settlement range (this is something only the adjustor knows) that the negotiations stop and a lawsuit is the only other way to pursue the desired damages.
I can see in a kind of open negotiation like this where we might fall into sin if we are not careful in our hearts. It's easy and even tempting to say you felt more pain than you did, but at the same time it's also hard to specify exactly the type of pain you felt. That's why I realize how careful we need to be in our hearts in these scenarios.
In my case above, I did not feel a lot of pain in that accident above, but did have several days of soreness and noticeable tightness in my back. I also missed several days of work to see doctors and physical therapists and also just wasted a lot of time on the whole process. I thought it was worth $x amount and it turns out the insurance company gave me approx. $200.00 more. I did end up taking that extra $200.00, because I thought it was relatively insignificant and fair/reasonable. Again, as I mentioend above, had they offered me like $10,000 ...as much as I'd love to have free money, I'd not take that. So that's where I feel this is quite a gray area that has to be carefully analyzed.
The final thing I realized and learned was that I was in fact "low-balled," because the typical formulas for calculating pain and suffering is multiplying one's medical bills by 2, 3, or 4 times (depending on how bad the injury was) and that the industry standard for my accident would have been $2,000.00, not $1,000.00 Of course, it didn't bother me much, but I just thought it was good to note for anyone else in a similar situation to know what the "standards" are in these cases. They have formulas online you can use as well, but almost always it's 2 - 4x your medical bills that is offered you for pain and suffering.
On a final note, though, I think we can simply ask ourselves and use God's help in judgment to figure out if something is generally fair/reasonable and accept or decline based on that. In my case, that's what I did. Yes, by my standard, the settlement amount was more than what I had asked for. And by the insurance company's standard, it was most likely a lowball offer. But ...when I chose to accept it, it was fair and reasonable to myself and my conscience and that was what mattered.
Thank you all for your input and insights into this common gray area in life and I hope this conversation has been of use to those reading and commenting on it. Feel free to continue on with any further thoughts, questions, or comments.
Blessings,
lewbcw
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 7/31/2008 10:15:17 PM
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TrustingGod
Posts: 121
Joined: 6/19/2008
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The calculation of pain and suffering probably has more to do with the "medical payment" limit of the policy of the person at fault. Look at your auto policy and you'll see a line item call medical payments. This is "goodwill" money the insurance company pays out in hopes that it will take care of the expenses and you'll not file a lawsuit. If you signed a settlement that states you can't sue for more, the insurance company is very happy. It is a lot cheaper for them to pay you $1,000 then it is to worry about the actual amount of bills (a lot less paperwork when you consider how many claims they are processing every day). Plus $1,000 is lot cheaper than having to defend a lawsuit.
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 8/1/2008 9:52:31 AM
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cow451
Posts: 3904
Joined: 5/6/2005
Status: offline
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You likely settled for much less than you could have if you pursued it. The insurance carriers would rather get these small cases resolved quickly because it costs them money to manage an open case.
You could consider the "overage" as some compensation for the "pain and suffering". After all, you were likely not able to do everything you normally do for a period of time.
Or, you could take the "overage" and give it to one of God's causes.
You could obsess over it and read the Bible backwards four times, but the bottom line is your own discernment based on your beliefs. God does not always show a clear-cut path, so he gave us brains for such occasions.
_____________________________
Wenn Sie so intelligent sind, warum Sie hier sind?
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 8/1/2008 7:41:25 PM
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Liveloved
Posts: 1620
Joined: 1/22/2008
Status: offline
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lewbcw,
Thank you for your concern and counsel to me. I will respond with a few thoughts but don't want to take too much of anyone's time.
Yes, I continue to have neurological problems. But here is the bottom line for me. God could have prevented this accident. The young girl whose foot slipped off the brake pedal did not intend to do this.
My husband and I have paid out of our own pocket for our medical insurance and medical care for many years---probably thirty two years to be exact. It has become increasingly more expensive and the last few years saw us spending between $12-15,000 per year to cover our medical insurance and expenses. And that was just for essentials. We don't go to the doctor or have tests unless it is absolutely necessary. A year ago my husband got a job that provides medical insurance for us---the first time in our married life.
I think we are in the serious medical insurance and financial problems in this country because of greed and people's unwillingness to assume responsibility for themselves. And I live what I believe. So my husband and I spent a HUGE amount of our yearly income to pay for medical care. It is OUR responsibility.
Just because someone elses' insurance could have paid for some of my medical expenses, does not mean it is right. And I believe it to be wrong. So I did not pursue it.
Anyway, that's my story. I hope you're doing better. The Lord will care for us. He is ever faithful. Bless you! LL
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RE: Need Input: Should I Accept Settlement? - 8/2/2008 1:37:52 PM
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1love1God1way
Posts: 2189
Joined: 5/16/2005
Status: offline
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Personal integrity is not worth selling for $162.
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love.ben
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