Seattle Personal Injury Attorney Chris Thayer
Seattle Personal Injury Attorney Chris Thayer
Handling Personal Injury Claims in the Seattle Area and Throughout Washington Since 1995

My name is Chris Thayer and I am a personal injury attorney practicing in downtown Seattle. I handle personal injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death claims throughout the greater Seattle area, including Issaquah, Mercer Island and Kirkland.

I am here to help you.

Call for a free consultation (206) 340-2008

Colossus Program & Insurance Company Offers

Posted Wednesday, December 16, 2015 by Chris Thayer

A Seattle Injury Lawyer on How Insurance Companies use Computer Programs to Measure the Value of Your Claim

Insurance companies, in an ever expanding desire to increase profits by reducing the settlement value of automobile accident cases, are increasingly relying on software programs to calculate damages. One of the most often used ones is called Colossus. Some companies rely almost exclusively on the output Colossus provides, while others give it less weight; in either case, it is important to understand how it works.

Preliminary Considerations

Before any data regarding your specific injury is entered into Colossus, information concerning who your lawyer is, his or her track record of taking cases to trial or settling for the insurance company’s best offer and statistics for the jurisdiction the case is in are entered.

Severity Points

Information from your medical report is then entered into the program. Specific types of injuries have what is considered a base rating, which is the starting point, and additional factors can increase or decrease the points in your case. Factors that are considered include:

Damages that are Difficult to Quantify

Injuries that tend to be more subjective than objective are disfavored by the Colossus program. Consequently, soft tissue injuries, which statistically constitute the majority of auto accident claims, are undervalued compared to broken bones and herniated discs, for example. The settlement offered typically is not fully contemplative of damages for pain and suffering, stress, loss of enjoyment of life and loss of consortium.

Contact a Seattle Injury Lawyer for Legal Advice

Insurance is a business that sees increased profits from low-ball settlement offers. Be certain you receive fair compensation for all that you have lost. Call Chris Thayer, Seattle personal injury lawyer, at (866) 884-2417.