Determining how much your case is worth will depend on several factors, including the type of case, what happened, insurance limits, how severe any injuries you sustained are, and more. When determining the worth of a case, there are at least four different things that will usually be taken into consideration if the liability is clear. These include the nature and extent of your injuries, past and future medical bills, any loss of earnings, and your pain and suffering.
While there are no set rules for determining the value of a case, at Karns & Karns Personal Injury & Accident Attorneys we may be able to provide you with an estimated ballpark value based on our experience with past cases, once all medical statements and records have been gathered and we understand more about how the case has impacted your life.
How a Personal Injury Case is Calculated
The amount of compensation that you can get when you have been involved in an accident through no fault of your own will be directly related to the extent of your injuries. The more serious your injuries the more your case is worth. Serious injuries tend to result in high medical bills and lead to a loss of earnings, which means that your potential for compensation will be higher. The more severe your injury, the higher the amount of compensation you will usually be able to receive. For example, a broken leg will receive more compensation than a pulled muscle or a bruise on the leg.
Type of Case
The type of case that you are bringing will have an impact on how much compensation you can get. How you were injured, and how preventable the injury was will have an impact case value. For example, if the accident was not caused by someone’s negligence, then you may not be entitled to as much compensation compared to an accident that was directly caused by the negligence of an individual or company.
Location of the Accident
Where and when the accident occurred can also have an impact on how much you are paid in compensation. For example, if the accident occurred while you were working, then you may need to file a workers’ compensation claim rather than a personal injury case, which could impact the amount of compensation that you receive compared to if you were injured while shopping or at a restaurant, for example.
Property Damage
Any damage to your property such as a vehicle if you were involved in a car accident may also be considered when it comes to determining the value of your case. For example, if you were driving when a reckless truck driver crashed into you and totaled your car, then chances are that the cost of replacing your car for a like-for-like model will be factored into the compensation that you receive. Also, the severity of property damage will affect the value of your case because the more severe the impact the more sever the injuries. If the property damage to your vehicle was only a scratch it would be difficult to show that you were severely injured.
Loss of Wages
Any earnings that you lose out on as a result of the accident will be considered when it comes to determining how much your case is worth. If you are injured and need to take time off work to recover, then be sure to keep documentation of this and records of the wages that you have lost. If you are self-employed and unable to get sick pay or holiday pay to cover your earnings while you are unable to work, then you may be entitled to more compensation to make up for this. At Karns & Karns Personal Injury & Accident Attorneys, we can help you with figuring out how much you have lost in wages.
Future Loss of Earnings
Along with any wages that you have lost out on as a result of time off work to recover from the injury, you may also be entitled to compensation based on an estimate of any future earnings that you may continue to lose as a result of an accident. For example, you might be currently only working part-time, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future to help you recover from your injuries, when you worked full-time before the accident. In this case, this will be taken into consideration when determining how much compensation you can get.
Medical Bills
Any medical bills that you have already been liable for as a result of the injury should be paid or reimbursed by any compensation that you get. This is why it is crucial to get medical attention as soon as possible after the accident, and keep clear records of any medical visits, diagnoses and treatment you receive. To be in with the best chance of winning your case and getting the compensation you are entitled to, it’s important to follow your doctor’s advice when it comes to medical treatment, therapies, and medications.
Future Medical Bills
If the accident has left you with injuries that cause ongoing symptoms and will require regular treatment into the future, then any future medical bills you may face as a result will also be factored into your compensation. Again, this is why your medical condition and how it has been impacted by the injury should be clear in court.
Adaptations
If you have been involved in an accident that has left you with a permanent injury or disability, then any cost of adaptations to your home, such as widening doorways for a wheelchair, changing the location of your bedroom and bathroom, and other adjustments to make your life at home easier will be taken into consideration with the compensation that you are awarded.
Pain and Suffering
This refers to the physical and emotional impact of the accident and any other ways that it may have impacted your life, such as personal relationships. After being injured, you may struggle to enjoy doing the things you once enjoyed, or it might strain your marriage or other relationships with loved ones. While it’s hard to determine how much you will be awarded in regard to this, keeping a journal of your experience can help demonstrate the impact on your life to the court.
While it’s not always easy to say how much you’re going to get for any particular case, here at Karns & Karns Personal Injury & Accident Attorneys, we know the factors that are considered and can use past experience to help you figure out how much compensation you may be entitled to. Get in touch today at 877-557-4221 to discuss your case further.
