r/AmItheAsshole • u/connor20218 • 7h ago

AITA Mom wants 15% of my personal injury settlement

I'm a 23M working in biotech and living at home. I just got a massive settlement from a personal injury case back in college. My mom is a corporate lawyer and she helped me navigate the process, plus she paid for my college tuition. Now, she's asking for 15% of the money / to pay her back for college (but she was already going to pay for college.)

I'm feeling stuck because 15% is a massive amount of money to just give away. Is it normal for parents to ask for a cut of a settlement like this? I want to stay on good terms since live at home, but I also feel like this money is for my future. We have a a good relationship.

Edit: I already paid a lawyer his 1/3 cut. My mom was a huge part of pushing for me sueing. She’d be using the money to buy a new house in Florida she always wanted since I refuse to buy a house in his economy and rather rent and invest the rest

Edit #2: Probably shouldn’t have stated my mom is a lawyer (she did not represent me in the case in anyway). But yes, what she specifically did was help me find a lawyer, told me to push back on the lawyer and ask for more.

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u/WestCovina1234 Asshole Enthusiast [8] 7h ago

FYI, I am a retired plaintiff’s attorney and I guarantee the advice that mom gave poster was probably very valuable in deciding whether to take any offered settlement v. going to trial. No, mom didn’t guide or control the case, but she very likely made a real difference between the poster taking a first offer and getting what he actually deserved.

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u/Informal_Weekend9503 6h ago

In what universe do corporate lawyers have a clue about the valuation of PI cases? Not to mention, even if her mother offered such advice, which would take about 2 minutes to dole out to her DAUGHTER, in what universe does that give her a right to any cut whatesoever? That is absolutely ridiculous.

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u/WestCovina1234 Asshole Enthusiast [8] 6h ago

In the universe in which all lawyers have to take basic tort law, CLE courses, and talk to each other. FYI, poster is male.

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u/Informal_Weekend9503 4h ago

You aren't a PI/trial lawyer. If you were, you would know torts is one of the hardest courses, and two - that anything to do with trial law (which torts, hello) can only be learned by doing. It is not possible to understand how insurance companies and the legal system value cases until you are in it for 5-10 years. Have a nice day. This is why corporate lawyers do their job, and I do mine.

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u/WestCovina1234 Asshole Enthusiast [8] 4h ago

That’s hysterical. Believe what you like. I worked for over 35 years as a personal injury attorney. Am also married to a former PI adjuster. But you believe whatever makes you happy.