Thank you for the suggestions everyone. My father is retired Army and his Harley is the love of his life after family anyway. I thought that this would be the best place to ask for advice as a lot of you have had similar situations. I think that we will get a lawyer if not for anything just for the principal of the matter, people will walk on you if you allow them. I hope to push him to see more doctors to at least see if anything can be done for his pain. As far as the "Trollette" comment, I apologize that was not in anyway at all my intentions, I needed advice and as I said thought this would be the best place to look, I also posted this under the general forum so that it wouldn't be "off topic"

 

Have your dad not accept the settlement on account of "Unknown medical expenses to correct his hand" (he may need some reconstructive work, some physical therapy, etc. (that is the line anyway). It the injury impacts his ability to ride or to work then that is some money coming his way on that account too. The objective is that he be compensated to the degree necessary to "make him whole again". Or so they say... it is like money solves everything. Even if there is no fixing the problem "Making him whole" can mean "Giving him enough money to satisfy him" (make him happy again).

Personally, I would find an accident attorney that rides and give them the case. Many will start without anything but a small retainer (even $1). I have paid my attorney a $1 retainer. I think something in the law that says that once they are retained then they must act on your behalf but until then they are simply "Officers of the Court" and anything you say to them can be used against you (if you tell them stuff and don't retain them). Kind of funny I think.

The lawyer will go for a larger amount... I think generally 3x actual medical expenses are considered "pain and suffering" and then actual medical expenses. Progressive will want to settle instead of leaving the "tab" open... so some effort will need to be made to estimate what it will cost to correct your dad's situation (to be made whole again -- however you define it).

Don't settle... that is the bottom line. And get an accident attorney. Fingers are at the core of dexterity and you use them for everything... no one will belittle the effort... and if they do then you set the straight. Hell... having opposable thumbs is what separates us from the other primates. It is at the core of what makes us human. I guess what I am saying is "His hands are as important as an arm or a leg." Good luck.

I am not a lawyer -- by the way.

 

Did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night? J/K. Good Advice.

 

My lawyer got my $65,000 hospital bill reduced to $6,000. Well worth the 33%.

 

Last February I lost my right index finger in a machine at a part time job. I'm right handed, because of workmens comp i'm not able to sue and will eventually get 80% of my weekly rate x 36. That's what Workmens comp prices a right index finger on a right handed male. They actually have a price for every body part, effed up. Well I was working there only about 20 hours a week for 10 bucks an hour to get some extra money to pay for my wedding that just happened in august. Well you do the math, it was not worth it... But something my lawyer said is if it was a personal injury instead of workers comp i'd get mega money.
Def don't accept the 21k and def get a lawyer.

 

As shitty as this sounds, it's a good suggestion, amputations take 2 weeks to heal. While it took me a while to get over mentally, and i'm still not over it. I was pretty depressed for months and really wouldn't leave my house, but with the help of my friends and family I got over it and started doing things I used to do and now I realized I can do everything I could before.

 

Didn't mean for it to sound bad or mean. Just an observation. If my finger was causing that much trouble I'd cut it off and move on.

 

He had mentioned the same thing, cutting off his finger. I think he wanted to wait a while to see how he deals with his pain though before going to that extreme. I'm hoping that if he is able to see more doctors maybe one will be able to fix the problem. But we do realize that it may have to come down to that. There is also the concern that just because the finger is gone, he may still have more issues with his hand and the pain, but it would at least take care of some of the issue.

 

And thank you to everyone who has shared your personal stories and the outcomes, it has helped a lot to be able to read what others have gone through and hear your suggestions from your own person experiences with similar problems.

 

http://www.aimncom.com/ Give these guys a try.