Average Settlement Figure

• Experts differ over any exact figures for rear-end collision settlements. According to the Car Accident Attorneys (CAA) website, at the time of publication, most settlements for non-serious collisions are between $10,000 and $15,000. In the case of a collision involving serious injuries, a different type of settlement is required in order to take into account the possibility of medical issues that may last a lifetime. In many cases, says CAA, it may be impossible to arrive at a truly fair settlement figure that covers all medical bills.
  
  

Punitive Settlements

• Punitive damages can be sought if the rear-end collision caused long-term medical problems or even long-term problems with your car. Such damages can be also sought against your car's manufacturer for causing the accident in the first place. According to Car Accident Attorneys (CAA), at the time of publication, litigants who win punitive damages can sometimes get up to $1 million or more in settlement money. CAA says that punitive settlements only make up five percent of all car accident settlements.
  
  

Defense Claims of Injuries

• According to Albert G. Stoll, Jr.'s article "Ten Common Myths," posted on the website of the Bay Area Lawyers Network (baln.org), most defense lawyers will attempt to persuade a jury that because an injury wasn't immediately reported after a rear-end collision, it may not be serious. That's why it's important to work with your lawyer and bring as many medical facts to the case as possible to counteract the defense's claim. Stoll says that trials of this type typically cost between $5,000 and $10,000 to prepare.
  
  

Car Manufacturers and Rear-End Collisions

• In his 2006 "New York Times" article titled "Rear-End Impact Is the Automotive Achilles' Heel," Nick Bunkley reports that auto manufacturers are doing a better job at building cars to lessen the impact of front and side collisions, but not rear-end collisions.