Fri. Mar 29th, 2024
Car Accident Settlements

The 4 Deciding Factors: How Are Car Accident Settlements Determined?

It’s hard to place exact figures on an auto accident settlement since every case is different. Injuries usually present different impacts on different people. A mechanic will most likely undergo work limitations from an auto accident as opposed to a sedentary worker in an office. When taking into account the unique lifestyle and circumstances, the following aspects are the most crucial when it comes to valuing auto accident settlements.

Car Accident Settlements

  1. Medical Bills

Serious injuries always result in higher medical bills. An auto accident may require the services of a chiropractor or physical therapy. In addition to showing the seriousness of an injury, medical expenses also highlight the impact a whiplash has on the patient. While an injury on the tissue may not result in serious damages and extensive treatment on a 28-year old patient, it may lead to considerable pain to patients managing arthritis. Some accident victims require more treatment as opposed to others suffering from the same injuries. As a result, these aspects make medical bills one among the first factors to consider when it comes to determining car accident settlements.

  1. Lost Wages

Accident victims often miss work due to the injuries they sustain from auto accidents. Even when one received vacation time or paid sick, this amount is still reimbursable in a settlement offer. If you don’t get paid sick time, the payment reduction is documented in the time sheets and this is presented as a component of the settlement package. If your payment is usually done on an hourly basis, the missed time often adds up quickly and therefore, you should never ignore it.

  1. Disability

Physical disability as a result of injuries sustained from an auto accident is also a factor to consider when determining the right settlement. Injuries and disability could greatly affect your employment opportunities and result in prolonged medical expenses. It is important that your settlement caters to your losses as a result of your disabilities at that instant and in the future. Any expenses for re-training into a new occupation as a result of the injuries should also be taken into account.

  1. Pain and Suffering

The most subjective aspect of a personal injury case is pain and suffering. Accessing how pain affects an individual can be difficult as injuries often have different effects on individuals. Pain and suffering are usually documented by accessing the impact these have on a person’s activities as well as the overall impact these have on a person’s life. If an accident left you with injuries to the extent you were unable to complete a race you had spent an entire year training for, then it is obvious you suffered substantial injuries and underwent considerable pain and suffering. On the other hand, if you lived a sedentary lifestyle before sustaining injuries from an auto accident, it could be challenging to show that you suffered considerably as a result of the accident.

Conclusion

Irrespective of the magnitude or seriousness of your injuries, insurance organizations will always question you throughout the settlement negotiation. For that reason, you’ll need to hire the services of an experienced auto accident attorney to help you get the compensation you deserve. You can learn more about car accident and personal injury by visiting https://www.gbw.law/personal-injury/car-accident/.