Every day, individuals are injured due to the negligence of another person. Injuries can range from minor scrapes and bruises to more serious cases where permanent disability or death occurs. If you’ve experienced an accident, you may wonder, “how much is my personal injury claim worth?” – not just in terms of compensation but also in terms of justice for those affected by someone else’s carelessness.
In this article, we explore how much a personal injury claim may be worth. We examine the various factors that must be considered when determining an amount suitable for compensating victims for their injuries and suffering.
Factors That Affect The Value Of A Personal Injury Claim
To understand how much your case is worth, you must learn about the factors that can affect a personal injury claim. For example, the severity of your injuries can affect how much compensation you receive. An accident resulting in a disability will be worth more than an accident that produces a few cuts and scrapes.
Factors like lost wages, medical bills, and even negligence can affect your claim. If the person who caused the accident was acting negligently, then you may be entitled to a larger amount of compensation. For instance, a drunk driving car accident may result in a higher settlement amount.
Talk to an experienced Miami personal injury attorney to get an estimate of how much your case is worth.
What Are Economic Damages?
The damages you are awarded will affect how much compensation you earn. Economic damages are any losses from the accident that cost you money. This could include lost wages due to missed work days, loss of future earnings, current and future medical bills, and more.
In addition, property damage should be taken into consideration if applicable. For example, if a car crash resulted in costly vehicle repairs or replacement fees, these expenses should also be accounted for. It is important to note that even small items such as clothing or eyeglasses will factor into the overall compensation amount.
Economic damages are the most common type of compensation that victims recover. However, these damages don’t encompass the emotional anguish you suffered from the accident. Let’s talk about non-economic damages next.
Non-Economic Damages: Pain and Suffering
Non-economic damages are the intangible losses of an accident that may not have a direct monetary amount attached to them. This is referred to as pain and suffering. Things such as mental anguish, physical discomfort, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment in life, or any other negative effects on quality of life can be included in this type of damage award.
While money can’t fully compensate you for your emotional and mental suffering, an award for non-economic damages can help hold the defendant accountable for their actions. Punitive damages also hold the at-fault party responsible.
What Are Punitive Damages?
Punitive damage awards are intended to punish wrongdoers for their negligence or recklessness in causing an accident. These awards can be substantial and may provide additional compensation for someone injured by another’s negligence.
In most cases, punitive damages are awarded when a defendant’s conduct was especially egregious or reckless, such as when they knowingly endanger the safety of others. They also serve as a deterrent to similar behavior in the future. It is important to note that punitive damages do not directly compensate victims for any losses they suffered due to the incident; instead, they are meant to punish the at-fault parties and discourage them from repeating their actions.
Legal Representation And Negotiating A Settlement
Now that you know about the damages you can seek compensation for, we can turn to legal representation. It is advisable to work with an experienced personal injury attorney who can provide valuable insight into your case. An attorney will also have access to resources that enable them to understand the nuances of such a claim and can help ensure that you are fairly compensated.
A lawyer is also a great resource because they can negotiate your settlement amount with the insurance company. In most cases, the insurance company will try to reduce your settlement amount. This is because they don’t want to pay you for your losses. To combat this, your lawyer will negotiate with the insurance company. They demand that the insurance company compensates you fairly. If the insurance company refuses, you can file a lawsuit, and your lawyer will represent you in court.
Now you know why having an experienced personal injury lawyer from Abogadas305 on your side can help you maximize your settlement amount.
