The question that we hear the most is “how much is a car accident settlement worth?” The brief answer is that each car accident claim is unique. However, we can provide you with some examples. First of all, it is useful to understand how a claim’s value gets calculated. In this context, “value” refers to the total dollar value amount that you are likely to receive. We will be looking at various methods that are used by insurance companies and car accident attorneys to come up with dollar amounts and then apply this to a few specific examples.
How is my car accident settlement value calculated?
Generally speaking, injuries that might “appear” to be more serious are given more weight, since juries have a tendency to have a stronger reaction to those types of injuries. Even if your case does not go to trial, both sides will consider the way a jury will react since, if nothing is worked out in the negotiation process, then the ultimate decider will be a jury. That means you could end up with a higher settlement for your injury if it:
- “Looks” serious and is visible
- Requires invasive or complicated procedures
- Did not respond very well to your initial treatment and took a lot longer than expected to improve
- Left you with a permanent limitation, disability or pain
Beyond this, the two sides differ in the way they estimate the cost of your injury in dollar amounts. Both side will look at your actual medical costs as well as your “pain and suffering.” However, different methods will be used by the insurance company and your attorney to calculate the final amount.
Your attorney will calculate the total cost of your injury which is partly based on how your life has been affected by it. That can involve numerous factors, including whether or not there is emotion anguish associated with your injury, whether your ability to work is affected, whether you are going to continue to experience pain in the future, and whether or not the injury interferes with your regular daily living. If you would like to know more about what settlement you should expect for a Rear-end accident, visit this page
On the other hand, the insurance company likely will calculate your settlement’s value based on a certain algorithm. They will enter your type of injury, along with various factors that relate to it, and then allow a number to be given by a computer that is based on other cases that are similar to yours.
It not surprising that the number that the insurance company comes up with is often much lower than the number that your attorney calculates. That is why the negotiation process can make such a huge difference in car accident claims, and why having an experienced attorney can make such a major difference in the amount you win ultimately.
What are some examples of various car accident settlements along with their values?
Based on the above examples, we can provide a general range for the amount that some of the more common types of car accident injuries may win in the state of Georgia:
- A case of minor whiplash, which can be quickly resolved by having chiropractic treatments, can win enough to pay for your medical bills and an additional $3,000.
- Moderate whiplash where physical therapy or a specialist is required can win the cost to pay your medical bills and an extra $4,000 or so.
- More serious whiplash where an epidural is required, or another type of advanced procedure can have medical bills that easily cost $10,00, and another $5,000 to $10,000 may be won in addition to this.
- Tissue or joint damage that responds to treatment well and that is resolved by physical therapy might pay for your medical bills and an additional $10,000.
- Tissue or joint damage that requires you to have ongoing injections or treatment an easily bring in $25,000 or more.
- Injuries requiring surgery might win a settlement of $50,000 or even more; injuries that are severe can win over $100,000 easily.
- How can I find out the exact amount that my claim is worth?
- For serious injuries, the answer will depend more on having your claim negotiated by a professional. For really minor injuries, having an attorney might only get you an extra $3,000 or so; for a disability or shattered bones, an attorney can help you get tens of thousands in additional money than you can get on your own.
In general, the best way to ensure that you get the entire amount of your claim is to do the following:
- Immediately see a doctor.
- Be very careful about what you say to an insurance company – before signing anything, speak to an attorney first.
- See a specialist who thoroughly understands your specific kind of injury.
- Have an attorney represent you and deal with the insurance company for you.
Have you sustained an injury? The Weinstein Firm offers free consultations with some of the most respect and experienced attorneys. To receive your FREE consultation now call 770-HELP-NOW.
