Even though personal injuries can be expensive, they aren’t always comparable in terms of compensation. Every personal injury is unique and is calculated differently. Mainly this is because personal injuries have a variety of factors that come into play. For example, the age of a personal injury victim influences the settlement amount.
In general, personal injury claims are based on how severe your injuries were. If you were temporarily disabled by your personal injury accident, you might have expensive medical bills. However, these fees would not be nearly as high compared to a permanent disability.
Speaking to a personal injury attorney is your best way of figuring out how much your claim is worth. A personal injury law firm can also calculate your personal injury based on your non-economic and economic damages.
Contents
Average Personal Injury Claim
While personal injury claims are based on the damages that were caused by a negligent person, other factors play a part as well. In addition to out-of-pocket costs based on bills and fees, the personal injury claim also includes non-economic damages. The average settlement for a personal injury claim is about $31,000. This amount wouldn’t apply to someone who experienced a catastrophic injury or a wrongful death. The claimant or their survivors could receive up to a million or more in a personal injury settlement depending on the losses they suffered.
How A Personal Injury Claim is Calculated
Personal injury attorneys will calculate your claim based on your economic and non-economic damages. This includes the following:
Lost Wages
Once you’ve been injured, you might need to stay home so you can recover from your wounds. If you can’t accept a less strenuous role at your job, you will be missing out on income. Your personal injury attorney will estimate your past and future lost wages based on how many working days you missed and what income you expect to lose in the future.
Medical Bills
Your settlement claim will also be based on all the expenses you paid to your healthcare provider due to your personal injuries. Expenses such as surgeries, lab tests, medical treatments, medication, and more will be covered by your settlement. If you require transportation to and from your clinic visits, those costs will be covered.
Property Damage
In some personal injury cases, there might be property damage to a vehicle, electronic devices, or personal property. In those cases, the cost to repair or replace the property would also be included in your personal injury settlement.
Pain and Suffering
You can also be compensated for pain and suffering damages. It is only fair that these damages are considered because you may have suffered due Pain and suffering damages refer to any feelings of depression, anxiety, grief, PTSD, and more.
Wrongful Death Damages
If your loved one died because of a personal injury, you could claim damages on their behalf. Eligible family members include spouses, children, dependents, and anyone named in the victim’s estate or will. Wrongful death damages include loss of consortium, loss of valuable services, loss of earning capacity, loss of benefits, funeral and burial bills, and more. You can ask your attorney about the wrongful death damages you can receive on behalf of your loved one.
Factors That Influence Compensation
Personal injury claims aren’t only about how much money was lost, but also about additional factors that influence the victim’s quality of life.
The Severity Of the Injuries
The severity of your injury was will determine your personal injury claim. For example, if you have a permanent injury, such as an amputation, brain injury, or paralysis, it would increase your personal injury claim. You would require lifetime support to deal with these types of injuries. The trauma associated with it can also require psychological therapy, physical therapy, and more.
Age Of the Victim
When a child is involved in a personal injury accident, this would affect the personal injury claim. A child may be badly disabled by the accident. Because of this, the personal injury claim may include loss of future income. Additionally, other damages may be considered for young individuals who were devastated by a personal injury.
Percentage Of Fault
Your personal injury may have been partly your fault. You can still file a personal injury claim and receive compensation from the other party. However, the amount you receive would be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you were texting when you got hit by a drunk driver, you may be partially at fault.
Get Advice From A Personal Injury Attorney To Know Your Claim’s Worth
When you work with a reliable personal injury law firm, you can expect nothing less than professionalism. Discover more about the personal injury process by speaking to a dedicated legal team today.
