Vermont Personal Injury Demand Letter

PERSONAL INJURY DEMAND LETTER — VERMONT

FOR SETTLEMENT PURPOSES ONLY — V.R.E. 408 PROTECTED

HEADER INFORMATION

SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED

Date: [__/__/____]

FROM:
[________________________________]
Attorney at Law
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Telephone: [________________________________]
Facsimile: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
Vermont Bar No.: [________________________________]

TO:
[________________________________]
Claims Adjuster / Claims Department
[________________________________] Insurance Company
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

RE: PERSONAL INJURY DEMAND

I. INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

This letter constitutes a formal demand for compensation on behalf of our client, [________________________________] ("Claimant"), for personal injuries and damages sustained as a direct and proximate result of the negligence of your insured, [________________________________] ("Tortfeasor"), on [__/__/____] in [________________________________], Vermont.

This firm represents Claimant in all claims arising from this incident. Direct all communications to this office. Do not contact Claimant directly.

This demand is protected under V.R.E. 408 (Vermont Rules of Evidence).

VERMONT COMPARATIVE FAULT: Under 12 V.S.A. § 1036, Vermont applies modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar. A plaintiff is barred if found more than 50% at fault. If 50% or less at fault, recovery is reduced proportionally. Vermont also follows the traditional collateral source rule — damages are not reduced by benefits from independent sources.

II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

A. Pre-Incident Conditions

On [__/__/____], at approximately [____] [a.m./p.m.], Claimant was [________________________________] at or near [________________________________], Vermont.

Weather: [________________________________]
Road conditions: [________________________________]
Lighting: [________________________________]
Traffic: [________________________________]

B. The Incident

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

(Provide a detailed narrative of the incident.)

C. Emergency Response

☐ Police called — Report No.: [________________________________]
☐ EMS responded — Report No.: [________________________________]
☐ Claimant transported by ambulance to [________________________________]
☐ Claimant sought treatment at [________________________________]
☐ Fire department responded
☐ Photographs taken at scene
☐ Witness statements obtained

D. Witnesses

E. Police Report

Officer [________________________________], [________________________________]:

• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]

☐ Citations to tortfeasor: [________________________________]
☐ No citations to Claimant

III. LIABILITY ANALYSIS UNDER VERMONT LAW

A. Negligence Standard

Vermont negligence requires proof of:

1. Duty of reasonable care
2. Breach of that duty
3. Proximate cause linking the breach to Claimant's injuries
4. Actual damages

B. Tortfeasor's Acts of Negligence

☐ Failure to maintain proper lookout
☐ Failure to yield right of way
☐ Following too closely (23 V.S.A. § 1039)
☐ Distracted driving / handheld device use (23 V.S.A. § 1095b)
☐ Excessive speed (23 V.S.A. § 1081)
☐ Failure to obey traffic signals
☐ Improper lane change
☐ DUI (23 V.S.A. § 1201)
☐ Careless or negligent operation (23 V.S.A. § 1091)
☐ Other: [________________________________]

C. Modified Comparative Negligence (12 V.S.A. § 1036)

Vermont's statute provides:

"Contributory negligence shall not bar recovery in an action by any plaintiff or the plaintiff's legal representative to recover damages for negligence resulting in death or in injury to person or property, if the negligence was not greater than the causal total negligence of the defendant or defendants, but the damage shall be diminished by general verdict in proportion to the amount of negligence attributed to the plaintiff."

Key Principles:

• Plaintiff barred if more than 50% at fault (i.e., barred if plaintiff's negligence is "greater than" the combined negligence of defendants)
• If 50% or less at fault, recovery is reduced proportionally
• Fault determination is a jury question

Claimant bears NO fault. The tortfeasor is 100% responsible.

D. Several Liability (12 V.S.A. § 1036)

Under Vermont's comparative fault statute:

• Each defendant is liable for that proportion of total damages in the ratio of that defendant's causal negligence to the total causal negligence of all defendants
• This effectively creates a proportional/several liability system among multiple defendants

E. Collateral Source Rule

Vermont follows the traditional collateral source rule. Benefits received by the plaintiff from independent sources (health insurance, disability insurance, etc.) do not reduce the tortfeasor's liability. Medical bills are recoverable at their full value even if partially paid by collateral sources.

F. Negligence Per Se

Statutory violations:

• 23 V.S.A. § [________________________________]: [________________________________]
• 23 V.S.A. § [________________________________]: [________________________________]

IV. INJURIES AND MEDICAL TREATMENT

A. Summary of Injuries

Primary Diagnoses:

• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]

Secondary/Associated Conditions:

• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]

B. Injury Checklist

☐ Traumatic brain injury / Concussion
☐ Cervical spine injury (herniation / bulge / fracture)
☐ Thoracic spine injury
☐ Lumbar spine injury
☐ Shoulder injury (rotator cuff / labral tear)
☐ Knee injury (ACL / MCL / meniscus)
☐ Hip injury / fracture
☐ Rib fractures
☐ Extremity fractures
☐ Facial lacerations / scarring
☐ Soft tissue injuries
☐ Nerve damage / radiculopathy
☐ PTSD / anxiety / depression
☐ TMJ dysfunction
☐ Other: [________________________________]

C. Chronological Treatment History

D. Diagnostic Imaging

E. Surgical Procedures

F. Prognosis

Treating physician [________________________________]:

• [________________________________]
• MMI: ☐ Reached [__/__/____] ☐ Not yet reached
• Impairment rating: [____]%
• Future treatment: [________________________________]
• Future medical costs: $[________________________________]

V. DAMAGES CALCULATION

A. Economic Damages (No Cap)

B. Non-Economic Damages (No General Cap)

Vermont has NO general cap on non-economic damages in ordinary personal injury cases. Special limits apply only to claims against the State: $500,000 per person / $2,000,000 per occurrence under 12 V.S.A. § 5601.

C. Total Damages Summary

VI. INSURANCE COVERAGE ANALYSIS

A. Tortfeasor's Liability Coverage

Vermont Auto Insurance Minimums (23 V.S.A. § 750):
- $25,000/$50,000 bodily injury; $10,000 property damage (25/50/10)

B. UM/UIM Coverage

Vermont requires UM/UIM coverage with minimums that are higher than liability minimums.

Vermont UM/UIM Minimums (23 V.S.A. § 941):
- $50,000/$100,000 bodily injury; $10,000 property damage (50/100/10)
- Note: UM/UIM minimums are HIGHER than liability minimums

C. MedPay

VII. PREJUDGMENT INTEREST

Vermont permits prejudgment interest at 12% per annum on tort liability claims. This rate is not governed by the Prompt Pay Act but rather by Vermont common law principles.

Note: Vermont's 12% prejudgment interest rate is among the highest in the nation and serves as a powerful incentive for timely settlement.

VIII. PUNITIVE DAMAGES

Vermont permits punitive damages where the defendant's conduct is "outrageously reprehensible" and demonstrates malice.

• No statutory cap on punitive damages
• Subject to constitutional due process limitations (BMW v. Gore; State Farm v. Campbell)

☐ Punitive damages sought: [________________________________]
☐ Punitive damages not sought at this time

IX. SETTLEMENT DEMAND

SETTLEMENT DEMAND: $[________________________________]

Terms:

1. Payment within thirty (30) days of receipt
2. Certified funds to [________________________________], Attorney Trust Account
3. Full and final release upon payment
4. Inclusive of all claims from the incident
5. Excludes first-party insurance claims (MedPay, UM/UIM)

X. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS AND RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

Statute of Limitations

Under 12 V.S.A. § 512, the SOL for personal injury is three (3) years.

Discovery Rule: Under 12 V.S.A. § 512(4), the SOL may not begin to run until the date the injury was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered.

Reservation of Rights

Claimant reserves all rights, including filing suit, amending damages, pursuing punitive damages, pursuing UM/UIM claims, seeking prejudgment interest at 12%, and all other remedies under Vermont law.

WARNING: If this demand is not accepted, Claimant will file suit. Upon judgment, prejudgment interest at 12% per annum will apply, significantly increasing total exposure. Vermont's collateral source rule also means medical expenses are recoverable at full value.

XI. MEDICAL RECORDS AND EXHIBITS INDEX

☐ Emergency department records
☐ Ambulance / EMS report
☐ Hospital records
☐ Primary care records
☐ Specialist records
☐ Physical therapy records
☐ Chiropractic records
☐ Mental health records
☐ Surgical records
☐ Imaging reports
☐ Prescription records
☐ Medical narrative report
☐ Itemized bills
☐ EOBs
☐ Employer wage verification
☐ Tax returns
☐ Police report
☐ Photographs (scene, vehicle, injuries)
☐ Witness statements
☐ Property damage documentation

XII. SIGNATURE

Respectfully submitted,

[________________________________]
Attorney for Claimant
Vermont Bar No.: [________________________________]

[________________________________]
Firm Name
[________________________________]
Address

Telephone: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]

Date: [__/__/____]

XIII. SOURCES AND REFERENCES

Vermont Statutes

• 12 V.S.A. § 1036 — Modified comparative negligence (51% bar); several liability
• 12 V.S.A. § 512 — Statute of limitations (3 years; discovery rule under § 512(4))
• 12 V.S.A. § 5601 — Sovereign immunity cap ($500K per person / $2M per occurrence)
• 14 V.S.A. § 1492 — Wrongful death (2-year SOL)
• 23 V.S.A. § 750 — Auto insurance minimums (25/50/10)
• 23 V.S.A. § 941 — UM/UIM minimums (50/100/10)
• 23 V.S.A. § 1201 — DUI statute
• 23 V.S.A. § 1095b — Handheld electronic device prohibition
• 23 V.S.A. § 1081 — Speed regulation

Key Vermont Principles

• Modified comparative fault with 51% bar (plaintiff barred if more than 50% at fault)
• No general cap on compensatory damages in ordinary PI
• Prejudgment interest at 12% per annum (among highest nationally)
• Punitive damages available (no statutory cap; "outrageously reprehensible" standard)
• Traditional collateral source rule applies
• Several liability among multiple defendants (proportional to fault)
• Auto minimums: 25/50/10 (liability); 50/100/10 (UM/UIM — higher than liability)
• 3-year SOL with discovery rule
• Vermont is a fault-based tort state

This template does not constitute legal advice and must be reviewed by a licensed Vermont attorney before use.