You may or may not be familiar with personal injury cases and settlements. If you have ever been involved in an accident where you were injured due to the actions of another person (like a car accident, for example), you may already be familiar with personal injury claims and how they work. Even if you are not familiar with the term yet, you should have an idea of how these claims and settlements work, in case you come across them in the future. Be sure to have a Personal Injury Lawyer on your side.
Types of Damage
Essentially, a personal injury settlement offers you monetary compensation for the damages you suffered in an accident. These damages are divided into two different categories: monetary and non-monetary damages. Monetary damages are tangible and easily quantifiable such as medical bills, lost wages, car repairs, and other damages to your personal property that you suffer through someone else’s fault.
Non-monetary damages are a bit more difficult to determine. They include things like emotional pain, severe stress, physical suffering or impairment, loss of the company, loss of enjoyment of life, or loss of reputation due to an accident. These damages are essentially intended to compensate the plaintiff for the quality of life and mental well-being impacted by the accident.
Calculating Damage
When it comes to calculating these costs, monetary damages are much easier to figure out. They are calculated by adding receipts and medical bills, arriving at a total amount of expenses. Non-monetary damages, on the other hand, are complex and require a specific formula to turn abstract concepts like pain and suffering into measurable expenses.
It is important to note that there are limits to what you can reasonably request in a personal injury settlement. In some state jurisdictions, non-monetary damages are not even available to the plaintiff. In jurisdictions where they are allowed, they cannot be extremely high. They must still be within a reasonable proportion to the number of monetary damages presented in the claim and have a limit in some states.
When to Hire an Attorney
If this is a minor accident, you can file an insurance claim and receive the compensation you deserve. If the other driver was at fault and you were uninsured, you may have to file a claim in small claims court, but generally, all of this can be done without hiring an attorney.
If there is disagreement about who was at fault, as stated above, you may find yourself in a different situation. Other examples of cases where it would be beneficial to hire an attorney include:
- If there is a dispute about how much money you will have to pay or how much money you will receive
- If there are injuries that will require ongoing medical care and expenses
- If the other driver’s insurance company takes you to court
In the latter scenario, in particular, you may want to especially consider hiring an attorney. You especially need an attorney, if the accident severely affects you. It is much more difficult to represent yourself legally in court than you might think. An experienced attorney will know how to gather evidence and negotiate a fair settlement.
Getting Help
If for no other reason, you may also choose to hire an attorney if you simply do not want to handle your claim on your own. If you feel frustrated or overwhelmed, an attorney can help you ease your mind. Knowing how to proceed to request a reasonable settlement is crucial to your recovery after an accident.
Contact a Lawyer
If you or your loved ones have recently been injured in your local area due to someone else’s fault or negligence, locating a qualified Personal Injury Lawyer team can help you reach a fair and reasonable settlement to receive the best available compensation for the damages you have suffered.