Expectations From a Car Accident Settlement
Unless you are a personal injury lawyer, you are most likely unsure of how much to expect from a car accident settlement following an accident in which they were injured. Car accidents victims can sustain severe and debilitating injuries, ranging from relatively minor soft tissue and muscular contusions to more serious traumatic head and brain injuries. You may have to undergo significant medical treatment and physical therapy or endure a lengthy medical procedure. Medical treatment after a car accident can cost a considerable amount of money, often reaching into the tens of thousands of dollars or even more to treat injuries caused by the negligence of another person.
When accidents are someone else’s fault, victims can file a claim to obtain compensation for their accident-related injuries. In most cases, these claims are resolved by reaching a settlement agreement with the at-fault party’s insurance company. An attorney can review your case and give you an idea of how much you will be able to recover.
Factors That Can Impact a Settlement
A number of factors can affect a car accident settlement. Some of the most important are described in the material below.
Injuries the accident victim suffered in the accident
Generally speaking, the more significant an accident victim’s injuries in a car accident, the more value the case has from a settlement standpoint. This correlation is because accident victims are more likely to require extensive medical treatment and procedures when the injuries sustained are serious. In addition, the more serious an injury, the more pain and suffering a victim is likely to experience.
Medical costs
When a car accident victim must undergo a significant amount of physical therapy and medical treatment, such as surgeries or injections, and the costs associated with them, then the settlement value of the case is typically higher than if less extensive and less expensive treatment was required. A car accident victim may even recover monetary compensation for the anticipated costs of future medical procedures should a health care provider deems that further treatment will be necessary.
Permanent injuries
Some victims of car accidents fully recover from their injuries over the course of weeks, months, or years. Others, however, may live with their injuries for the remainder of their life. When a health care provider determines that an accident victim sustained a permanent injury as the result of a car accident, that determination increases how much to expect from a car accident settlement.
Length of medical treatment
An injured car accident victim may need to receive medical treatment, including physical therapy, for a long time. A lengthy recovery period adds value to the personal injury case since, in addition to pursuing monetary compensation for medical treatment bills and any out-of-pocket costs, an accident victim can also recover compensation for all of the pain and suffering, inconvenience, and emotional distress they experience while treating for the injuries over an extended period of time.
Lost earnings
In some cases, accident victims are injured to such an extent that they are no longer able to work. Alternatively, they may be able to work, but not in the same capacity as before the car accident. In such a case, their employer may put them on “light duty,” often at a much lower rate of pay. When a person cannot work due to injuries suffered in a car accident, they may make a claim for lost wages, increasing the potential settlement value of the case. If the injuries are so severe that they keep the accident victim from working in the future (or prevent them from working at the same job or in the same capacity), the accident victim may be able to assert a claim for loss of earning capacity, which increases the claim’s potential value.
Speak with a USClaims Representative Today
The injuries a car accident victim suffers along with the associated medical costs and time missed from work can take a severe economic toll. Various factors, such as the extent of the injuries and medical treatment, impact how much to expect from a car accident settlement – and a pre-settlement advance.
At USClaims, we offer pre-settlement funding. In the event of a qualifying car accident case, we will purchase a portion of the proceeds of the anticipated court judgment or settlement, in order to make some cash available for the victim right away. USClaims is only paid if a settlement is reached or if the case is won at trial. Apply now or call us today at 1-877-USCLAIMS to find out more.
