Lawyer pushed me to settle and I thought it was lazy, but the math worked out

Was in a car accident in Phoenix last year. Other driver ran a red. My lawyer kept saying settle for $12k. I was mad. Thought he was just trying to close the file fast. So I got a second opinion. Second lawyer ran the numbers and said the same thing. After medical bills and fees I walked away with $4,200. Was it a great deal? No. But the trial risk was real and the other guy had minimum insurance. Has anyone here pushed back on their attorney's settlement advice and regretted it?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_ben2d ago

Jumped into a similar situation with a contractor last summer. He kept telling me my roof didn't need a full replacement, just patch work. I was pissed thinking he was cutting corners. But I got three more quotes and every single guy said the same thing. Sometimes our gut just wants to fight back because we're pissed at the situation, not because the advice is bad. It's like when your mechanic says your car isn't worth fixing and you think they're lazy, but really they're just being real with you. Trial risk and insurance limits are cold hard math, not laziness.

the_dakota1d ago

Right, because nothing says "I'm fine" like paying a lawyer a third of your settlement for them to literally do the math for you. But hey, at least you didn't have to sit in a courtroom and watch a jury decide that your whiplash was worth a firm handshake and a coupon for a free oil change. Sometimes the best legal advice is just "take the money and run before the other guy's insurance company offers you a gift card to Chili's.