[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/settlement-reached-wreck\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/settlement-reached-wreck\/","headline":"Settlement Reached After Serious Car Wreck","name":"Settlement Reached After Serious Car Wreck","description":"Butler Kahn recently settled a car accident case for $300,000.\u00a0 The at-fault driver and her insurance company admitted fault for the accident but refused to make a reasonable pre-suit offer.\u00a0 The insurance company\u2019s main claim was that Ms. Smith\u2019s medical bills\u2014something over which she had no control\u2014were unreasonable.\u00a0 Unfortunately, this a common insurance company tactic,&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/settlement-reached-wreck\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Settlement Reached After Serious Car Wreck<\/span><\/a>","datePublished":"2021-01-28","dateModified":"2026-04-17","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/author\/butler\/#Person","name":"Jeb Butler","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/author\/butler\/","identifier":9,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f5a02bc71d91db5fc8645f129c4424ce6ef7af7e24fe54f4a85315a9dd28f317?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f5a02bc71d91db5fc8645f129c4424ce6ef7af7e24fe54f4a85315a9dd28f317?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Butler Kahn","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Butler-Law-Firm-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Butler-Law-Firm-Logo.png","width":210,"height":93}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/butler123412.png","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/butler123412.png","height":2112,"width":2816},"url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/settlement-reached-wreck\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=c-_xjitbHDE#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=c-_xjitbHDE","name":"Client Story: Personal Injuries in a Car Accident","description":"We handled a personal injury case for our client arising out of a car accident. Our client was injured after another driver darted out in front of her. The accident left our client with severe injuries, including multiple broken ribs.\n\nAfter we wrapped up her case, our client was kind enough to sit down and give a quick interview about our communication, the attorney she worked with, and her experience working with us. \n\nFor more client stories, visit https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/client-testimonials-and-results-2\/\n\nWe Have Four Locations To Serve You\n\nAtlanta, GA\nButler Law Firm\n10 Lenox Pointe\nAtlanta, GA 30324\nhttps:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/\n--------\nLawrenceville, GA\nButler Law Firm\n154 Stone Mountain Street, Suite 250\nLawrenceville, GA 30045\nhttps:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/lawrenceville-injury-lawyers\/\n--------\nRoswell, GA\nButler Law Firm\n1255 Canton Street, Suite E\nRoswell, GA 30075\nhttps:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/roswell-injury-lawyers\/\n--------\nJonesboro, GA\nButler Law Firm\n21 Lee Street, Suite 250\nJonesboro, GA 30236\nhttps:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/jonesboro-injury-lawyers\/\n------- \nJOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA\nFACEBOOK LINK: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/butlerfirmllc\nTWITTER LINK: https:\/\/twitter.com\/Butler_Firm\nINSTAGRAM LINK: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/butler_law_firm\/\nLINKEDIN LINK: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/butlerfirm\/\n\nSEE OUR REVIEWS\nGOOGLE REVIEWS:\nhttps:\/\/search.google.com\/local\/writereview?placeid=ChIJoR24iRoG9YgRSH8GpDMLiMQ\nFACEBOOK REVIEWS: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/butlerfirmllc\/reviews\/","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/c-_xjitbHDE\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/c-_xjitbHDE\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/c-_xjitbHDE\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/c-_xjitbHDE\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/c-_xjitbHDE\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2021-01-18T17:39:22+00:00","duration":"PT3M6S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/c-_xjitbHDE","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCeMYGr94Sf4LpYwIcO3P2Qw#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCeMYGr94Sf4LpYwIcO3P2Qw","name":"Butler Kahn","description":"We help people and families.\n\nOur firm specializes in personal injury and wrongful death cases.  We are based in Atlanta, Georgia.  We handle cases across Georgia and, for certain types of cases, all across the country.\n\nTOP-QUALITY LEGAL WORK.  We do the work that lots of law firms skip.  We track down witnesses, dig into the evidence, and prepare intensely for every deposition, trial, and hearing.  We take a small number of cases so that we can devote our full attention to the clients we represent.\n\nPERSONAL SERVICE.  If you hire us, you get us.  You won't get blocked by a receptionist or leave unreturned messages.  If you want to speak with your lawyer, you can.\n\nDOING WHAT WE SAY WE'LL DO.  Some law firms make big promises at the beginning, then don\u2019t follow through.  We shoot straight \u2013 when we tell you something about your case, good or bad, we mean it.  No fake promises.\n\nButler Kahn\n10 Lenox Pointe\nAtlanta, GA 30324\n678-940-1444\n","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/NTOsbNEALVOnRbUCg7jUzYGcC4kNKsUTEVHm5TtiTQdLlfFKksLTnmiZG_t6zDG_e4ygtnva=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=c-_xjitbHDE#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=c-_xjitbHDE#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=c-_xjitbHDE&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=c-_xjitbHDE#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":163}]]},"about":["Car Accident"],"wordCount":676,"articleBody":"Butler Kahn recently settled a car accident case for $300,000.\u00a0 The at-fault driver and her insurance company admitted fault for the accident but refused to make a reasonable pre-suit offer.\u00a0 The insurance company\u2019s main claim was that Ms. Smith\u2019s medical bills\u2014something over which she had no control\u2014were unreasonable.\u00a0 Unfortunately, this a common insurance company tactic, which underscores the importance of hiring a lawyer who is not afraid to litigate.We filed a lawsuit and used a statutory tool called an \u201coffer of settlement\u201d to force the insurance company to pay a fair price.\u00a0 The details of the case follow, but we changed the parties\u2019 names to maintain privacy.The Worst Day of Ms. Smith\u2019s LifeOn January 7, 2020, Ms. Nancy Smith was on her way to run some errands.\u00a0 As she was driving southbound on Roswell Road, Jodie Osborne wasn\u2019t paying attention and darted out into the busy road.\u00a0 Ms. Smith plowed into Ms. Osborne\u2019s car going about 35 miles per hour.\u00a0 Ms. Osborne admitted that there was nothing Ms. Smith could have done to avoid the collision.The front-end of both cars were destroyed, as seen below:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMs. Smith broke several ribs and spent multiple days in the hospital.\u00a0 During those first several weeks following the accident, every breath felt like a punch in the chest.Despite serious injuries, the insurance company refused to make a reasonable offer.\u00a0 We\u2019re seeing this stubborn behavior from insurance companies a lot during the COVID-19 pandemic since they know it might be years before a case is ever presented to a jury. \u00a0 Without the ability to use trial to leverage a settlement, it\u2019s important to hire an experienced litigator who has other tools in his or her toolbox, such as a Rule 68 Offer of Settlement.Using an Offer of Settlement under O.C.G.A. \u00a7 9-11-68Georgia law allows a plaintiff to make an offer to settle a case with a defendant, with real consequences, by exposing the insurance company to attorney\u2019s fees and expenses of litigation.\u00a0 Specifically, if the defendant rejects an offer under Rule 68 and the plaintiff \u201crecovers a final judgment in an amount greater than 125 percent of such offer of settlement, the plaintiff shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney\u2019s fees and expenses of litigation\u201d from the time of rejection through entry of judgment.The trick to using offers of settlement is finding a number that you know you can beat at trial, but that fully compensates your client (and makes them happy!).\u00a0 That\u2019s what we did\u2014we met with Ms. Smith and came up with a number that she was happy with, then sent the offer to the lawyers the insurance company was paying to defend the case.\u00a0 Within a few weeks, the insurance company paid $300,000 for Ms. Smith\u2019s injuries.Hire a Lawyer Who Will Make an Offer They Can\u2019t RefuseThis case is an example of why you need an experienced Atlanta car accident attorney to handle your case.\u00a0 Even when fault and liability are clear, insurance companies often refuse to negotiate by employing tactics such as challenging the \u201creasonableness\u201d of the injured person\u2019s medical expenses.\u00a0 This tactic makes no sense and is unfair to the victim of negligence who has no say in what the hospital charges them for a surgery or other treatment.When you or someone you love are involved in a car accident, time is of the essence.\u00a0 It\u2019s important to hire lawyers who will put in the work to build your case for trial, so you don\u2019t settle your case for less than its true value.\u00a0 It\u2019s equally important that your lawyer be familiar with the tools at their disposal, such as offers of settlement.\u00a0 At Butler Kahn we have experience using offers of settlement or, in the words of Vito Corleone, \u201cmaking them an offer they can\u2019t refuse.\u201dThe case was handled at BLF by Matt Kahn, Jeb Butler, and Sarah Christy.\u00a0 Our client\u2019s video review of us is below.                            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