When you meet with your Decatur personal injury lawyer for the first time, one of your first questions will undoubtedly be “How much can I get for my injuries?” Unfortunately, while this is perhaps the most common question a client has from the outset, it is also extremely difficult to answer until much later. Why? Because until you have neared recovery it is impossible to say what your ultimate medical costs and lost work time will be.
Current Factors that May Affect Your Case’s Value
• How extensive your injuries are
• How your injuries affect your daily activities, including chores, leisure time, ability to attend your daughter’s softball game, etc.
• Whether your injuries required hospitalization
• The total of all your medical expenses, including hospital stays, ambulance rides, diagnostic exams, medication, physical therapy and chiropractic care
• The amount of work time you lost while you recuperated. This not only includes wages, but such related losses as accrual of vacation and sick time, lost insurance benefits and time toward retirement, lost time toward gaining seniority, and potential loss of current advancement opportunities.
• Related issues such as pain and suffering, loss of consortium, etc.
Future Potential Losses
Your Decatur personal injury attorney will also need information which shows whether your injuries are permanent, and whether you will be able to return to work at all or in a reduced capacity. Such information can only be gleaned after you reach a point where further healing is unlikely.
Other Factors which Affect Case Value
Certain other factors will determine the award amount you can receive:
• Contributive/comparative liability—whether you were in part to blame for the accident
• The philosophy of the insurance company, which affects their willingness to negotiate settlements
• The quality of witnesses on your behalf
If you have been injured in an accident due to the fault of another person, you may wish to pursue a claim. It is possible to receive compensation for medical costs, loss of work time, pain, suffering, and more. Call Decatur personal injury lawyer John Cannon today for a complimentary consultation at (800) 373-6050.