How Much is My Personal Injury Case Worth?
If you were hurt in a car accident, slip and fall accident, or motorcycle accident, you’re probably wondering “how much is my personal injury case worth?” You’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions that personal injury victims have after an accident.
At Allen Law Firm, P.A., our experienced Gainesville personal injury attorneys are here to help. Call our law offices to schedule a 100% free consultation today.
How an Experienced Gainesville Injury Lawyer Can Maximize the Value of Your Case
The key to getting the full amount you deserve is finding out what caused your accident. Once we find out what caused your accident, we can pursue compensation from each responsible party.
To get the most compensation for you, our experienced Gainesville personal injury attorneys at Allen Law Firm, P.A. will:
- Investigate to find out what caused the accident
- Work with experts to assign a fair value to your claim
- Negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf
In especially shocking accident cases, you may even be entitled to punitive damages designed solely to punish the defendant.
Ready to learn more? Call us today for more formal legal advice. We’ll sit down with you and listen to your story. Once we establish an attorney client relationship, we can get to work assessing the value of your unique claim.
Basic Factors That Determine the Value of Your Economic Damages in a Personal Injury Case
You’re entitled to compensation for all of your “economic” losses after an accident that someone else caused. In other words, you’re entitled to reimbursement for all expenses you incur because of the accident and injuries. Every injury claim is unique. Reaching even an estimate requires an in-depth examination of your individual case.
We’ll review your medical records, the accident report, and work with experts and specialists to arrive at a fair estimate of your overall costs. Important questions that we’ll answer during this process include:
- What was the cost of your past medical bills?
- Will you require extensive future medical care?
- How much will your future medical treatment cost?
- Have you been out of work while you recover?
- Will you be able to return to work?
- How much will your time away from work cost in terms of lost wages and benefits?
- Will you require ongoing physical therapy, rehabilitation or ongoing care?
- Are your injuries permanent?
- Was there any property damage?
Generally, you can receive compensation for medical expenses even if health insurance covers part of the costs. Your health insurance company may, however, be entitled to reimbursement for their payments.
Car accident cases are different. If your medical bills are covered by your car insurance policy, those expenses generally cannot be repaid via the personal injury process.
Evaluating Damages for Less Tangible Losses
In addition to your out-of-pocket economic costs, you can also recover compensation for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other “intangible” losses caused by the accident. Those damages can be more difficult to estimate. Generally, insurance companies use a type of personal injury calculator, or “multiplier,” to estimate your pain and suffering.
Our lawyers will work to value your intangible losses by asking questions like:
- How long did your recovery take?
- Are you suffering from any form of anxiety, emotional distress or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the accident?
- How has your life changed because of the accident?
- Can you still enjoy the activities you participated in prior to the accident?
Even if you have the same injury as another accident victim, the injuries will impact you differently. A number of factors are relevant when assigning a dollar value. Those might include:
- Your overall health prior to the accident
- Whether the injuries are temporary or permanent
- The duration and types of medical treatment you were forced to endure
- Your age
- If you were disfigured, the nature and consequences of the disfigurement
Our lawyers know how to present your case in order to maximize the value of these intangible losses. We’ll work with experts in medicine, psychology and any other field that might be helpful to strengthen your claim.
Our lawyers will also help you understand how to keep track of what you’ve been missing while you recover. To learn more about how we can help, call for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer today.
You’re Entitled to Compensation for Future Expenses
If you were hurt in an accident, you’re entitled to compensation for past, current, and future expenses related to the injury.
It’s common to wonder how you can possibly estimate your future expenses when you’re still focused on recovering.
At the same time, Florida law limits the amount of time you have to file a personal injury lawsuit.
To get what you deserve, we have to ask for compensation for your future medical needs and future wage loss before you know the exact dollar values.
Often, we work with experts and specialists to determine your future losses. Depending upon the facts, we can engage:
- Medical experts
- Life care planners
- Vocational experts
- Economists
- Financial specialists
To get compensation for future medical expenses, it’s necessary to present testimony about the anticipated future care you’ll require. A reasonable degree of medical certainty is needed to support your claim.
If you lost a loved one in the accident, you’re also entitled to damages for loss of your loved one’s future company–known as “loss of consortium.”
We know that it can be difficult to contemplate these future costs on your own. Our lawyers at Allen Law Firm, P.A. will stand by your side every step of the way. We have years of experience handling personal injury claims. We’ll do everything we can to make sure you get every dollar you deserve.
What if the Accident Was Partly My Fault?
The overall value of your personal injury case can be reduced if the accident was partly your fault. Florida follows a modified comparative fault rule with a 51% recovery bar. That means you don’t lose your right to compensation if you were partly to blame, but you cannot be mostly to blame.
Our lawyers will undergo a thorough analysis to determine what your personal injury case is worth overall. We’ll defend you to minimize your share of the blame. If you’re found partially responsible, your injury settlement can be reduced based on your share of fault.
For example, if you were 20% to blame and your damages award was $100,000, you can still receive $80,000. However, you cannot recover damages if you were 51% or more at fault.
Florida No-Fault Insurance Law
Insurance policy limits can also apply in determining how much your personal injury case is worth. Car accident victims often think that the Florida no-fault insurance law makes it impossible to recover compensation from an at-fault driver. That’s not the case.
Once you’ve received the full value of your insurance policy, it may be possible to pursue a claim against an at-fault driver. While insurance is always an issue, our lawyers will identify every party responsible for your accident. That way, we can pursue your right to compensation from each available insurance policy.
Contact an Experienced Gainesville Personal Injury Lawyer Who Can Help Value Your Personal Injury Case
If you were recently hurt, the question “how much is my personal injury case worth?” might be the top question on your mind. At Allen Law Firm, P.A., we’re here to help. Call today to schedule your free consultation at (877) 255-3652 with a skilled Gainesville personal injury lawyer.
