Rear-ended at a red light, they already threw a lowball offer at me — is that normal??

Oh they ALWAYS do this. The quick lowball offer right out of the gate is a classic move — they're hoping you're stressed, in pain, and just want it to be over. The moment you sign anything, you're done. Doesn't matter if your back gets worse next month. You made the right call saying no.

I used to work on the insurance side and I can tell you exactly what's happening here. Adjusters are evaluated partly on how fast and cheap they close claims. Catching someone early — before they know how bad the injury is or whether they need physical therapy or imaging — is a strategy, not a coincidence. The offer they gave you almost certainly doesn't account for future treatment costs, lost wages, or pain and suffering. You rejected it at exactly the right time.

Please don't brush off those headaches. New headaches after a rear-end impact can sometimes signal things that don't show up immediately — like soft tissue issues in your neck that refer pain upward. Keep a symptom journal with dates and how bad things are on a scale of 1-10. That documentation matters a lot down the road, both medically and if you end up in any kind of negotiation.

I went through almost the exact same thing two years ago — stopped at a light, hit from behind, insurance on the phone within days with an offer. I was so overwhelmed I almost took it. Thank god a friend talked me out of it. My PT ended up lasting four months and I had no idea that was coming when they first called me. Stick to your gut on this one.

Not legal advice, but from what you're describing — impact significant enough to cause visible vehicle damage plus ongoing pain and new neurological symptoms like headaches — a very early settlement offer almost never reflects full value. In most personal injury cases the full picture of soft tissue injuries isn't clear until treatment is complete or you've at least reached what doctors call 'maximum medical improvement.' Settling before that point is generally not in your interest. Worth at least getting a free consult with a PI attorney before you make any decisions.

Simple rule: never settle an injury claim while you're still treating. Ever. You don't know what you don't know yet. Get all your medical records, keep every receipt, and don't talk to their adjuster more than you have to.

A few practical things that'll help you whenever you do decide to move forward: (1) Request a copy of the police report if you haven't already. (2) Keep a log of every symptom, every appointment, every day you missed work or couldn't do normal activities. (3) Don't give the other driver's insurance a recorded statement — you're generally not required to and it rarely helps you. The more documentation you have, the stronger your position is whether you negotiate yourself or get an attorney involved.

I'm just glad you're asking questions instead of taking the first thing they threw at you. Honestly the fact that they moved that fast would have made me suspicious too. Take care of yourself first — the money stuff can wait until you actually know how you're doing.

Not dismissing your pain at all, but I'd ask — have you actually gotten imaging done yet, like an MRI or X-rays? Sometimes adjusters move fast because soft tissue claims without objective medical findings are harder to value. If you have documented evidence of what's actually going on structurally, that changes the whole conversation. Just something to think about before your next doctor visit.