What kind of things affect my settlement with a car accident?

Question

When the car insurance company decides to give you a settlement from a bad car crash that you were a passanger in.. what kind of things decide how much money they will give you or if at all? My neck and back were injured and I have headaches everyday. I'm currently in physical therapy.

What can I expect in the future as far as pain and money?

Answer 1

Only your medical bills and lost wages.  When the settlement is reached, you get one-third of the amount, the lawyer takes a third and the doctor gets a third.

Answer 2

    In California and most jurisdictions, you are entitled to documented lost wages, the cost of reasonably necessary medical treatment which includes physical therapy (so make all of your therapy treatments), and compensation for your pain and suffering.  

    You describe soft tissue injuries.  The rule of thumb here is that value of your pain and suffering is three times (more or less) the amount of the cost of your medical treatment.  Insurance companies treat information for money.  The information here documents the lost hours of employment, the hourly earnings, medical records related to the injuries from the accident, and the value of the medical treatment received.