Your settlement check total must cover all of your current medical expenses and those costs expected in the future. It must factor in the time and income you lose at work. It must also address the physical pain and emotional trauma you’ve dealt with.
A reputable lawyer will need to hear about your accident from you and fully investigate the consequences before being able to give you an accurate estimate of what you’ll bring home. Your lawyer would help you decide what was fair for all of your hardships, and then get aggressive in demanding that total from a car insurance company.
What Damages Determine the Size of My Car Accident Settlement Check?
The biggest determining factors on the size of compensation are how much an injury affects your life and how much treatment will ultimately cost. Every injury is different, and every patient heals at their own pace. These factors will play a role in how big of a settlement check the insurance provider for the at-fault driver will write you.
Your lawyer fully investigates what happened to you and examines the other driver’s record. Your lawyer works with your medical care providers to determine how long you may need hospitalization, medical equipment, surgeries, and physical therapy.
Your lawyer also goes over your paychecks to determine what you would normally make each week and how many paychecks you’ve missed out on due to injury.
These and other factors will play a large role in how much you can expect to earn for an injury claim:
- Final totals on medical bills
- Estimates on future care if you suffer a long-term injury or a permanent physical disability
- Fair compensation for the level of pain you have endured
- Fair compensation for the emotional harm an accident and difficult recovery can cause
- The tally on the paychecks you’ve lost while your injury has prevented you from going to work
- The cost of travel to visit medical specialists and surgeons who may be located out of the area
- Car repair and replacement costs
Of course, if a car insurance adjuster refuses to accept blame for the accident or even tries to turn the blame on you, you may be left to pay all of your medical bills yourself.
An experienced lawyer is your protection against these unfair insurance tactics. Your lawyer builds a strong case backed with evidence, so a car insurance company can’t get away with rejecting your claim. Your lawyer also had medical evidence at the ready, in case an adjuster tries to downplay what your body had suffered, simply to offer you less.
When Do I Need the Help of a Tulare Car Accident Lawyer?
If your car accident involves car damage and only very minor injuries, you may not need the help of a lawyer for your case.
However, if your accident involves a more serious injury like a broken leg or a Traumatic Brain Injury, it’s wise to depend on a lawyer to protect your rights. When hospital bills grow, insurance companies seek ways to reject your claim or pay you less than you need to fully rebuild your life.
Reach out to Maison Law for a free, no-obligation consultation. It’s a no-risk way to find out what your injury is worth and what you should be holding an insurance company to. If you feel we can help you earn more for your recovery, you don’t need to have any money to hire us. We work on a contingency basis, and only get paid if we win your case. Then our fee comes out of the settlement check that the car insurance company is forced to send you.
