One of the easier terms to understand with a California personal injury case is a settlement. A settlement is just:
- An offer of money from an insurance company that closes out your claim.
After an accident, filing a claim is all about making sure any settlement truly covers what you’ve lost. The challenge is that it’s often hard to know the full impact of your injuries or how long recovery will take. That’s why it’s so important to get a settlement that reflects all your needs and losses.
What Makes Up My Personal Injury Settlement?
While your personal injury claim is going to be unique to you and what happened, any settlement that gets offered to you is going to be made up of your “damages”, which are things like:
- Medical expenses. This is usually the largest portion of a personal injury settlement and covers everything from hospital visits and surgeries to therapy and ongoing care.
- Lost income. This includes any income you’ve missed because of the injury, as well as potential future earnings if your ability to go back to work is hurt.
- Property damage. These are the costs to repair or replace any damaged property, such as your car or personal belongings.
- Pain and suffering. This covers costs related to the physical pain and discomfort caused by your injuries.
- Emotional distress. This covers costs related to any emotional/psychological issues—anxiety, depression, or PTSD—hat result from the accident.
- Reduced quality of life. This covers costs for how your injuries have affected your ability to enjoy hobbies, activities, or your everyday life.
These are the building blocks of a settlement, but you don’t just get it automatically. The more you’re able to document and present these things can significantly impact the amount the insurance company offers you—and what you can actually get.
How to Make Sure Your Settlement Covers Everything in California
Accepting a settlement is a big decision. Once it’s signed, the insurance company issues payment—usually within a few weeks—but you need to be sure it will cover your full range of losses. But even before you get to that point, having the right team on your side can make a huge difference in what you’re able to get with a settlement. At Maison Law, our team can make sure you get the most of a settlement offer by:
- Looking into reports, going through the evidence, or talking to experts to get a clear picture of what happened.
- Making sure nothing—medical records, bills, photos, witness statements— is overlooked. All of it helps show what really happened and how it affected you.
- Handling the insurance company to make sure you’re treated fairly. If they won’t offer a reasonable settlement, we won’t hesitate to take the case to court.
Every case is different, and we treat it that way. We tailor our approach to fit your situation, whether that means negotiating a fair settlement or preparing for trial. The goal is simple: make sure you get the support you need without adding extra stress to your life. Set up a free consultation today.
