A $30,000 Offer Was on the Table. Stefen’s Case Eventually Settled for $65,000

 

On May 14, 2025, around 8:15 a.m., Stefen was crossing a marked crosswalk near Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City when a vehicle struck him. He was taken for medical evaluation after the collision and began treatment for his injuries soon afterward.

A few weeks later, the insurance company offered him $30,000 to settle the claim. Stefen did not think that amount reflected what he was dealing with, so he came to Cockayne Law.

The $30,000 Offer

 

By the time we reviewed the claim, Stefen’s treatment was still ongoing. His medical records showed the care he had received after the collision and gave us a better picture of how the injuries were affecting him.

The initial offer had been based on what the insurer had seen at that point. We wanted to look at the claim with the benefit of the medical information that had developed since the accident.

We went through Stefen’s treatment records, medical expenses, and the losses connected to the collision. That gave us a clearer basis for discussing what the claim was actually worth.

Looking Beyond the Day of the Accident

 

One of the problems with an early settlement offer is that it can come before a person’s recovery has played out.

Stefen was still attending medical appointments when we began working on his claim. His records continued to document his treatment and recovery, giving us information that was not available when the insurance company made its first offer.

We used that information in presenting Stefen’s claim and negotiating with the insurer.

The focus was not simply on the $30,000 already offered. It was on whether that amount accounted for the injuries, treatment, expenses, and other losses Stefen had experienced since the collision.

From $30,000 to $65,000

 

Stefen’s claim ultimately settled for $65,000.

The final settlement was more than double the insurance company’s original offer. It came after his medical treatment and the evidence supporting his claim had been fully reviewed.

For Stefen, the important part was having the consequences of the accident properly documented and included in the settlement rather than having the claim decided by the first number the insurer put forward.

Cockayne Law represented Stefen in his pedestrian accident claim and helped him pursue compensation for the losses resulting from the collision.