What’s Your Injury Worth?

Injuries happen all the time. We make a mistake, take a fall, and end up with bumps and bruises. When injuries occur that we don’t expect AND they are caused by someone else, there can be even more challenges ahead for recovering. Personal injury law is an area of law designed to protect individuals and families. It holds those responsible for injuries accountable, making them or their insurance pay for damages.

What Type Of Personal Injury Cases Are There?

People are familiar with auto accidents and medical malpractice in many cases. These can be seen on advertisements and historically have had more attention. Auto accidents and medical malpractice cases aren’t the only reason to contact an attorney like GJEL Oakland. There are several case types you would want to talk to an attorney about.

It’s important to know what a personal injury case is precise. This will better help you to understand if you have an individual injury case, to begin with. The first criteria to look at is could the accident have been prevented? If it could have been prevented, was it a result of a negligent act, someone’s carelessness, or a reckless decision or action? Lastly, were any injuries actually sustained. For example, did you incur medical debt, time off work, or have pain and suffering? whether you had physical or emotional trauma, these are both viable and grounds for seeking compensation for your injuries.

When it comes down to case types, attorneys can represent a wide range of personal injury matters. These can include premise liability like slip and fall cases, trucking accidents, product liabilities or defective products, nursing home abuse, child abuse, and more.

How Is Your Settlement Decided?

After being injured, the last thing you want to do is argue with the insurance company. However, it is a necessary step in order to get you the compensation you need for medical care and lost wages. But how do they arrive at how much money you should receive? In many states, there is a precise formula for calculating how much an injury victim can receive. The formulation takes medical care needed in the future coupled with the treatments already received and what the outlook of the person’s life may be. This includes whether or not they’re able to go back to work or how long they will be out of work to recover.

Total Medical Expenses
Damages To Property
Lost Wages
Future Earnings
Pain and Suffering

These are the primary components used to formulate a settlement. Insurance companies will try to pay you less. This is their job and what they are paid to do. They are trying to protect their insurance company from paying out more than they need to.

During A Settlement

There will be tons of back and forth between your attorney and the insurance company. The insurance company will make an offer to your attorney, which will relay the settlement offer to you. Your attorney will likely give you advice as to whether or not you should accept based on the amount allowed by law for your claim. While you can get more than what the state outlines, usually offers fall in line with that figure. It’s critical to not settle for less than what you deserve. Having an experienced personal injury attorney by your side can help you recover more money for your injuries, ensuring your interests are protected.