Q: How Much Is My Personal Injury Case Worth?

This is not an easy question to answer because there is no “one size fits all” answer. Every personal injury case is unique, and even two seemingly similar cases can have drastically different outcomes.

Instead of asking your friend what he recovered through his personal injury claim, talk to an experienced lawyer about the specifics of your case to get an accurate estimate for your claim’s value. Remember, this is only an estimate – what you actually end up with, if you end up with compensation at all, could be more or less than your lawyer initially estimates. There is also no guarantee that you will recover compensation for your claim, no matter how strong it seems.

How a Personal Injury Claim is Valued

To get a stronger sense of what your claim is worth, understand how claims are valued. Personal injury damages fall into two categories: special and general damages.

Special damages are the damages that are easy to value. These are your medical bills, your lost wages, and anything else that has a concrete bill. General damages are the damages that cannot be valued easily. These are your pain and suffering damages like your emotional trauma and reduced quality of life due to chronic pain in the injured body part.

While special damages are easily quantified, general damages require a little bit more consideration. When an insurance company values general damages, it typically takes the claim’s special damages figure and multiplies it by a number deemed appropriate. The greater effect the injury had on the victim’s life, the higher the multiplier used.

Factors that Affect your Claim’s Value

Many different factors impact your eventual compensation package, such as:

• The quality of the evidence you provide;
• The amount of evidence you provide;
• Your long-term complications from the injury; and
• The type of injury you suffered.

Another important factor that affects your claim’s value is your level of fault for the accident. In Georgia, a victim may recover compensation as long as he or she is less than 50 percent at fault for the accident. When a victim is partially at fault, his or her total compensation amount is reduced according to the percentage of fault he or she holds.

Getting the Compensation you Need to Cover your Damages

As you can glean from the information above, your compensation package depends largely on the insurance provider’s perception of your injury and its effect on your life. If the case goes to court, how the court understands your case will affect its ruling. This is where your lawyer’s negotiation skills and use of evidence comes into play. In discussions with the insurance provider or presentations to the court, your lawyer must paint an accurate picture of your accident, your injury, and the damages you suffered in order to recover the compensation you need.

Get a Realistic Estimate from an Experienced Georgia Personal Injury Lawyer

One of the most effective ways of recovering the compensation you need for your personal injury damages is to work with an experienced personal injury lawyer who can help you build the strongest claim possible. To start working with a member of our team, contact Cohen & Sinowski today to set up your initial case evaluation in our office.

Disclaimer: This article is informational only and should not be seen as legal advice. You should consult with an attorney before you rely on the information presented here.