It’s possible that you may receive more settlement money with the help of a personal injury lawyer, but it’s not a guarantee. A personal injury lawyer can help you understand your legal options and the potential value of your case. They can also negotiate with the other party’s insurance company or legal team on your behalf to try to get you a fair settlement. In some cases, they may also be able to take your case to trial if a settlement cannot be reached.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that the amount of settlement money you may receive depends on many factors, including the severity of your injuries, the extent of your financial losses, and the available insurance coverage of the other party. A lawyer can help you assess these factors and determine what a fair settlement may be in your case. On average, personal injury cases settle for approximately $75,900. However, your settlement amount will depend on the specifics of your case. It’s a good idea to consult with a lawyer to discuss your options and determine the best course of action for your situation.
Get started with your case by requesting a free case evaluation.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR OBTAINING FAIR COMPENSATION IN PERSONAL INJURY CASES
Injured individuals who hire a personal injury lawyer often receive more settlement money than those who do not. Personal injury victims and their loved ones often think they can get a fair settlement and keep a larger amount of compensation if they work directly with the insurance company. Unfortunately, the insurance company’s first responsibility is to its shareholders, not to injured people. Despite what they say in commercials and advertisements, insurance companies are rarely on your side. Insurance companies hire attorneys and adjusters to argue their way out of paying what an injured individual deserves in the interest of saving the company time and money. Therefore, any settlement offer from an insurance company can seem appealing to an individual who does not know that their injuries are truthfully worth substantially more. This can result in an injured individual settling their case for substantially less than they deserve. That’s why the skill, experience, and education of a personal injury lawyer is necessary to level the playing field.
Additionally, it’s important to get started with your case as soon as possible. In some cases, personal injury cases can take anywhere from 6 months to over a year to finalize depending on the unique circumstances of the case. Each state will also have governing laws and statutes (such as the statute of limitations) that will determine how long individuals have to file a claim.
Those that wait longer than this deadline are unlikely to have a successful case by having their claim denied by the insurance companies and state courts due to exceeding the statute of limitations in their state.
HOW ATTORNEYS CAN HELP INCREASE SETTLEMENT VALUE FOR A PERSONAL INJURY CASE
Unlike insurance companies, personal injury lawyers always have their clients’ best interests in mind. Lawyers give specialized and individualized attention to their clients’ needs throughout the personal injury lawsuit process. To insurance companies, injured parties are just another claim number. Representation by an experienced personal injury lawyer ensures your case is handled fairly and that you receive the individualized attention you deserve. Personal injury lawyers help by:
1. ASSESSING YOUR PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM
During an initial consultation, your attorney will investigate all facts initially available to them at this time to understand the mechanism of your injury, the extent of your injuries, the damages, and the costs. This also includes initiating contact with the insurance company that insures the party who injured you and, if the other party has hired an attorney, initiating contact with them as well. Based upon the gathering of initial facts, a personal injury attorney will be able to determine if you have an actionable legal claim and will start to get an idea of what evidence is necessary to add value to your claim.
2. GATHERING EVIDENCE AND INTERVIEWING KEY WITNESSES
An experienced personal injury lawyer knows what evidence will add value to a personal injury claim, such as medical records that evidence your injuries, expert opinions that tie your injuries to the accident, interviews with key eyewitnesses (individuals that witnessed the accident) or damage witnesses (individuals that have witnessed the effects your injuries have had on your everyday life), property damage photos, etc. A personal injury lawyer can also personally observe how their client’s life has changed since the accident.
3. DRAFTING A STRONG SETTLEMENT DEMAND LETTER & NEGOTIATING THE SETTLEMENT AMOUNT
Once the appropriate evidence is gathered to make your case, your attorney will send a demand letter to the at-fault party, their insurance company, or their attorney if they’ve obtained one. A demand letter basically explains how you were injured in the accident, the damages you sustained as a result of the accident, and how it has affected your life; it also demands that the at-fault party should pay for the injuries that they caused you and notifies the insurance company that failure to reach an agreement will likely result in the filing of a lawsuit. Also sent with the demand letter will be the evidence the attorney believes most strongly bolsters your case.
After the demand letter is sent, the attorney will negotiate with the at-fault party’s insurance company. If the insurance company makes a settlement offer, your attorney will notify you and give you their professional opinion regarding whether the settlement offer is reasonable. However, at the end of the day, after considering the attorney’s advice, you ultimately make the decision regarding whether to accept the settlement amount. Having a lawyer to help with negotiations and how a lawyer negotiates a settlement can have a tremendous impact on the outcome of a case.
4. DISCUSSING YOUR NEEDS AND THE AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION NEEDED TO ACCOMMODATE THEM
A personal injury lawyer will assess your outstanding medical bills and any other expenses you’ve incurred as a result of the accident so they can enter negotiations with your best interests in mind. At the end of the day, the ultimate decision as to whether or not to accept a settlement offer is up to you. A lawyer will communicate settlement offers to you and will be able to calculate what you will ultimately net in your pocket.
5. PROVIDING ONGOING SPECIALIZED AND INDIVIDUALIZED LEGAL ADVICE THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF YOUR CASE
Your lawyer will explain legal technicalities, the case timeline, and how the settlement process works throughout every stage of your case. Having a personal injury lawyer educated on the law in your corner prevents an insurance company from taking advantage of “the little guy” for not understanding the legal process.
RECOVER COMPENSATION WITH A PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY
Complete your free consultation by calling us, texting us, filling out the free case evaluation form, or using our online chat. We’ll work with you to make the process easy and accessible no matter where you are or what type of device you’re using. Our investigators are here to make the process work for you. We can meet you on your terms, whether that means virtually, at home, or in your other preferred location.
At Brown & Crouppen Law Firm, we fight for you, and we fight to win. With more than $1 billion awarded and thousands of people helped, our team is dedicated to getting you and your loved ones the justice you deserve.
