“How much is my case worth?”
It’s one of the first questions personal injury lawyers hear when they meet with potential clients. But unfortunately, there’s no quick and easy answer. As frustrating as that sounds, keep reading. You need to know everything that goes into calculating the value of a personal injury claim before getting the process underway.
What Impacts My Case Value?
A wide number of factors impact the value of a personal injury claim in Florida. Many relate to the unique details of your case. State laws, insurance policy limits, and other variables can also drive the case value up or down.
Before coming up with an estimated dollar amount for your case, have a lawyer investigate the claim to identify the full extent of your losses. Here are some, but not all, of the factors that could affect how much your case is worth.
- Severity of the injury: The greater your injuries, the larger your settlement should be. That’s because serious injuries require more extensive medical care and rehabilitation. These costs should be reimbursed in a full and fair personal injury settlement.
- Long-term impact: An injury that leaves you with a permanent disability will increase the value of your case, especially if the impairment leaves you unable to work or drastically reduces your quality and enjoyment of life.
- Lost wages: Recovering from your injuries may keep you from working for a period of time. You can be reimbursed for your lost income as well as lost future earnings if you can no longer work or return to employment at the same capacity as you did before the accident.
- Pain and suffering: This dollar figure is the trickiest to determine and will vary by case. Pain and suffering accounts for intangible losses that cannot be calculated easily, such as emotional distress, grief, and loss of companionship.
- Prior injuries or accidents: Tell your personal injury lawyer about any prior accidents or injuries that could affect your claim. Insurance companies look for any way to deny victims the compensation they deserve. If the insurer finds out that you have a history of neck problems and are now filing a claim for severe whiplash, they may use your history as an excuse to lower your settlement offer.
Other factors, such as your role in causing the accident and Florida law, will also impact how much your case is worth. The best way to get a reasonable estimate of your case value is by asking an experienced personal injury lawyer to review your claim. Keep in mind that any dollar value is an estimate only. No attorney should ever promise you a certain amount or a positive result.
For a free legal consultation, call (800) 529-3030
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If you’ve been hurt, a personal injury attorney in Tampa at Brooks Law Group is happy to review your case in a free consultation. There’s no obligation, so there’s nothing to lose. Call or contact us today.
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