Car Accident Lawyer: 3 Factors To Take Into Account When Calculating The Value Of Your Injuries

Upon getting into a car accident, speak to a car accident attorney as soon as possible to get a good estimate on what the value of your injuries may be. Because approximately 95% to 96% of claims filed are settled pretrial, you definitely want to get a good idea of what your injuries are worth. This will allow you to make an informed decision regarding whether you are getting a fair and reasonable settlement offer. While many factors may influence the value of your injuries, the following 3 factors have a huge influence.

The Severity and Extent of the Injury, Along With Its Location

The first thing that the car accident attorney will want to consider is the extent, severity, and location of your injuries. They will gather the information provided to them through testimony from medical experts and your medical reports to gauge whether any precedence has been set with previous cases. A well-experienced attorney should provide you with several case studies that will give you a good idea of the range of compensation you can expect.

Keep in mind that the attorney will also need to factor your unique circumstances to the case studies provided. For example, if you are a professional golfer, an injury to your wrist may be detrimental to your career, and may prevent you from being able to further advance yourself in the industry. In most cases, your attorney will recommend that you reach maximum medical improvement before starting to negotiate a settlement.

Permanent Physical Deformities or Imperfections from the Injury

Physical disabilities and limitations are not the only factor that needs to be taken into consideration. Aesthetics is just as important, and your car accident attorney will want to consider how well you were able to recover from the injuries. In particular, they'll want to know whether the injury resulted in a permanent physical deformity or imperfection. Your age, gender, and career will be taken into consideration when determining how the disfigurations or deformities may have affected your life or quality of living. In general, scars are valued more highly for young females.

Your attorney may also want to consider whether the scarring has interfered with your romantic life. If you are getting a divorce due to the scarring that resulted from the injury, your attorney will argue that the accident indirectly impacted and worsened your life.

Pain and Suffering Endured

Once all of the economic losses have been calculated, it's important to look at the largest non-economic losses; the pain and suffering endured. It's difficult to put a value on the emotional duress, stress, and pain that you've suffered as a result of the accident. Your attorney will need to build a strong case if they believe that you are entitled to more compensation. They may show the court that the pain was so unbearable that you were prescribed heavy dosages of pain relievers to deal with the pain.

Testimony from family members and friends may also be submitted to court to document the extent of the pain that was brought on by the accident. Your attorney might even recommend that you take the stand to detail the pain and suffering that you endured, and how it may have affected your life. You'll be able to give a more honest and in-depth insight to your own situation.

Conclusion

There are many factors that need to be taken into account when determining what a reasonable value for your injuries may be. Your attorney will need to factor in all of the unique circumstances involved with your accident and situation before they can advise you whether or not to settle your case with the opposing party rather than escalate the claim and take them to court.