A friend of mine was in a car accident

[Omaha Steve]

The other driver got ticketed. But that drivers insurance company said she is 40% at fault. How the hell does that work??? They are offering next to nothing to settle. Several lawyers turned her down.

OS

[ret5hd]

1. Let the 2 insurance companies respective lawyers hash it out

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. That's what insurance companies do.

They'll wear you down until you give up and settle. If you are in a comparative fault state they will try to reduce the damages by the percentage of fault they can attribute to her. She should keep looking for a lawyer.

[2naSalit]

3. +1

[In_The_Wind]

4. +1

[ret5hd]

5. The only "real" accident I've been in (more than a parking ding)...

1) the insurance companies disagreed on % fault (which company pays what %)

2) each insurance company had a company lawyer to represent THEIR (the insurance company) interests, which means they are fighting for THEIR money. The lower percentage fault THEY were liable for means the less THEY pay.

3) Maybe I'm missing a piece of the pie, but make the insurance companies do THEIR job. That's all I'm saying.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. Exactly, it's called subrogation, but it applies only to the defensive parts of the claims.

If this person has a claim for personal injuries she will need her own lawyer.

[abqtommy]

7. In my opinion Insurance is right there with Religion and Politics as major parts of The Long Con.