A common question for people involved in an accident is what the average personal injury settlement amount is? This is actual complicated question to ask. There are many factors that determine the answer. The time it takes and the average settlement amount will be determined by the type of injury you have and other factors. There are many types of damages that can come from your personal injury. For example, the pain and suffering that you have going through rehabilitation after you have had a large injury. You can even claim the lost wages that came from not being able to work.
Types of Damages
The two major types of damages you can have are economic damages and noneconomic damages. These are obviously broken down into categories based on whether something directly impacted you or indirectly impacted you. Direct economic damage would be the cost of the ambulance and the medical treatment you have to go through. The many fees you paid to get treatments done and going through multiple hospital visits or even rehabilitation.
When it comes to noneconomic damages, you are talking about things that didn’t really affect your wallet directly. For example, you would count the time you lost that work as a noneconomic damage. You can also count things like commissions and bonuses that are affected because you got into this situation. Many other things like mental anguish and the fact that you can’t live a fulfilling life anymore will also be counted in this category. While not directly impacting you economically, this category is often the most devastating for most people. For example, being injured and not been able to enjoy something you are passionate about for the rest of your life can destroy a person mentally. All of these factors will directly impact how much money you get from your personal injury settlement.
It is critical to hire a good lawyer to build a strong case to help you prosecute. They will go over everything necessary to win the case and you can work with them to get the best result possible.
What Typical Payouts Look Like
With that being said, most people will still want to know what a typical payout looks like. Based on a few surveys, there has been a number that has been thrown around. That number is usually $52,000. On average this is what the payout is. This of course depends on the severity of your accident and the injuries that come from it. It also depends on how good your lawyer is and what type of case was presented.
Things That Affect Your Payout
The most important factor in how much money you can get from a personal injury settlement is the severity of your injuries. The more severe your injuries are, the more money you can get from a payout. This is usually proven by all the treatments you need when you go to the doctor. It is essential for you to seek medical treatment after you have had an accident as this is the way you prove you were hurt. If you don’t go and see a doctor, then people think you are lying or faking your injuries. Having that medical record is crucial to gaining the trust of the court system.
Getting a Lawyer
Having a personal injury lawyer on board when filing your case is critical to getting a higher payout. You will never have as much legal experience as you lawyer, and having someone that can walk you through the process will make it a lot simpler for you. In fact, having a lawyer will probably make it much more likely for you to actually get any compensation at all. Compensation is not a given and a lot of people don’t end up having any. Good legal representation will make sure all your bases are covered and the payout is reasonable depending on your injuries.
Settling the Case
It can benefit you to negotiate before coming to a settlement. The first offer is often the lowball offer that you won’t want to accept. Although, some people will give you a good offer upfront. However, settling the case means having your lawyer negotiate a great offer for you on terms that you like.
Filing a Case Against Something
Most cases never get to the lawsuit phase. You should still show you are willing to go there, however, as some people won’t take you as seriously if you don’t show that. You are much more likely to get a better offer when you show how serious you are about filing a lawsuit. However, a lawsuit can be a long and costly experience and it should probably be used as leverage to getting a better settlement.
Insulating Yourself
It is important to keep yourself protected at all times. That means having your lawyer do the bulk of the work and identifying any issues that could possibly arise. Doing it yourself is a recipe for disaster since you won’t have any legal experience.
In the end, it is important to follow simple procedures to make sure you get the right personal injury settlement amount. Being smart and understanding the risks involved as well as getting a good lawyer will take you far in this process.
