What can I expect to win in my personal injury case?
Making a claim after you are involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault is sensible for all sorts of reasons. Injuries that have caused you pain and disrupted your life deserve to be compensated, and there are plenty of legal mechanisms in place to ensure this is an option.
The question which lots of people ask in this instance is just how much they can expect to walk away with when they win a payout as part of a personal injury case. Let’s consider all the variables and look at the best way to get the outcome you are entitled to.
The quality of your representation matters most
No matter how strong your case for a claim might be, there is no guarantee that you will get anything unless you are represented by an experienced, qualified attorney.
Luckily there are lots of firms that specialize in securing the best possible compensation for personal injury clients, such as dixoninjuryfirm.com.
Conversely if you cut corners or neglect to get in touch with a legal professional soon after your accident occurs, it could be tricky to squeeze the maximum possible payout from what is already an undesirable scenario.
Location makes a difference
Because different states have their own approach to legislating for things like injuries and accident compensation, the size of the sum you win will be partly influenced by where you live.
Of course if the accident took place in a different state, then this is another matter altogether. Just being aware of this will help you measure your expectations.
Averages are instructive
When taking a personal injury case to court, or making a claim directly after a defendant has admitted liability, payouts can range from under $10,000 to around $75,000.
However, average settlements tend to fall more closely between these two, with the lower end of the spectrum sitting at around $13,000 while the higher limit in most situations is $50,000.
The cumulative impact of an injury is influential
When personal injury settlement sums are calculated, a few things are weighed up to come to an agreeable amount.
First, any financial hardship you have incurred as a direct result of the injury will be considered. This can include loss of earnings if you were unable to work in the aftermath of the accident, as well as bills for medical care.
Then there is the physical pain that you experienced. The more intense and long lasting the pain, the more this will fall in your favour.
Lastly, there is the mental and emotional fallout to which you have been subjected. Being injured can be stressful, cause depression, and can put strain on your relationships with those around you. So even if the accident did not directly involve a head injury, the intangible scars it leaves on your psyche still matter in terms of how much you might win.
Ability to pay can come into the equation
A caveat to all of this is that if the party that was responsible for the accident which resulted in your injury cannot afford the settlement, then you could find this a troublesome obstacle to navigate around.
This is why insurance is such a useful tool for claimants and defendants alike. When parties are insured, bigger payouts are on the table since the insurance providers have deeper pockets than almost any individual.
In short, you should never take anything for granted when approaching a personal injury case, and always follow the advice of an attorney, rather than leaving anything to chance in this sensitive and complex process.
