Are Legal Fees Justified for Injury Claims with Minimal Effort?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter The Chairman
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the justification of legal fees in injury claims, particularly in the context of a car accident. Participants explore the physics of the collision to estimate the speed of the other vehicle at the time of impact, while also addressing the implications of legal representation in such cases.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses dissatisfaction with the percentage of legal fees charged by lawyers in injury claims, questioning the fairness given the suffering of the injured party.
  • The initial poster seeks to determine the speed of the other vehicle at the time of impact, providing details about the vehicles involved and the circumstances of the accident.
  • Another participant emphasizes the need for additional information about the collision, such as ground level, whether the cars stuck together, and road conditions, to accurately analyze the situation.
  • A participant provides a mathematical approach to estimate the maximum and minimum speeds of the other vehicle using principles of physics, while noting the assumptions made regarding friction and collision types.
  • The calculations suggest a maximum speed of approximately 10 mph and a minimum speed of around 13 mph, indicating that the other driver may have been attempting to stop.
  • There is a recommendation for the initial poster to consider hiring a lawyer, highlighting the potential challenges of presenting physics-based arguments in a legal context.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the justification of legal fees or the exact speed of the other vehicle. Multiple viewpoints are presented regarding the necessity of legal representation and the interpretation of the physics involved in the accident.

Contextual Notes

The discussion relies on assumptions about vehicle masses, friction coefficients, and the nature of the collision, which may not be fully validated. The accuracy of the physics calculations is contingent upon the provided details and assumptions.

The Chairman
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Heres my problem. I don't like lawyers, but I know they have their place in this world. I just don't believe that they should be paid 33 1/3 % ( plus expenses totaling 50%) for any awards by the courts for an injury claim, when the poor person is the one suffering.

I was rear ended while stopped at a stop light by a male driving a 1991 Toyota Chorolla approx gross vehicle wieght 2400 lbs. I was fully stopped with my foot on the brakes in a 1990 Jeep Cherokee Lararo that is raised 2 inches and with a GVW of approx 3800 lbs.

I am trying to determine how fast he would have been traveling at time of impact to move me about 3 1/2 feet?

Does anyone know the formula or the answer to this?

You see I know the formula if there is skid marks, but he wasn't going that fast and didn't even try to stop, so there were no skid marks.

I now have three bulging discs in my lower back and the Doctors say it may or may not be caused by the accident, because I'm 48 years old and this can happen with age .

Please help!
 
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This is what we in the physics community call a... collision

There are a few things we need to know, including
Was the ground level?
Did his car stick to yours on impact?
What were the road conditions? (anything affecting slipperyness, including leaves)

Pictures would be helpful.
 
The road was dry, on pavement and at a level controlled intersection. His car did not stick to mine. He just hit and I was moved 3 1/2 feet from what to officer told me when I was in the hospital I was taken away to hospital before I could get any pictures.
 
m is your car's mass. M is his car's mass. g is the acceleration due to gravity. u is the coefficient of kinetic friction. v is the velocity of his car at the time of impact. x is the distance your car went

I will be using u values of .6 and .8 because friction can be touchy. It should be somewhere around .7 for normal car tires on a dry road. All equation assume he was coasting when he hit you and rely on the accuracy of your statements regarding car mass and the distance your car was pushed.

First, I'll calculate the maximum speed he could have been traveling, using an ideal elastic collision and a u value of .6 (he was definitely going faster than this)

Mv^2/2=mgux
v=sqrt(2mgux/M)=10 mi/h

Next, I'll calculate the minimum speed he could have been travelling, using an inelastic collision and a u value of .8 (he was definitely going slower than this)

a=gu
[Mv/(M+m)]^2=2gux
v=(M+m)sqrt(2gux)/m=13 mi/h

These two numbers are much closer to each other than I was expecting, but the physics doesn't lie. It looks like he was trying to stop. Could he have had antilock breaks? They reduce skidding.

Also, I would recommend getting a lawyer. No matter how correct your equations are, if you aren't trained in physics, the jury isn't going to buy it.
 
Tkanks Savant. that's a great help.
 

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