The amount of a concussion-related car accident settlement is unique to each claimant’s circumstances. Several factors can determine how much compensation you deserve, including the details of your injuries and the duration for which the injury affects you.
Your car accident settlement may cover several damages, including medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and vehicle repairs. The combined financial value of each of these damages will determine how much compensation you deserve. A skilled car accident lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve.
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Damages That Factor Into a Concussion Car Accident Settlement
Those injured in car accidents often incur several damages, including:
- Financial
- Physical
- Psychological
- Emotional
An effective car accident lawyer will identify and thoroughly document each of your accident-related damages. They will then accurately calculate the value of each damage and pursue a fair settlement for you.
Some of the most common damages included in car accident settlements are:
Healthcare Expenses
Accidents involving severe injuries tend to cost more. Medical care can cost thousands of dollars, and those with severe injuries tend to need more medical care.
Your lawyer will include all of your medical bills in their demand letter, including the cost of:
- Ambulance transport from your accident scene
- Emergency observation and treatment
- X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and other medical images
- Surgery
- Hospital services (including any overnight stays)
- Rehabilitation services
- Any other care you require because of the car accident
Medical care is necessary and potentially life-saving after a car accident. However, accident victims often face large bills through no fault of their own. An effective car accident lawyer will obtain compensation that ensures you don’t pay for accident-related medical services out of pocket.
Pain and Suffering
Suffering injuries in a car crash can have devastating effects, including:
- Immediate pain from injuries
- Chronic pain
- Lost quality of life
- Sleep problems
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Scarring and other forms of disfigurement
In some severe cases, accident victims fall into substance misuse and suicidal thinking because of the toll of their accidents and injuries. Your lawyer will work alongside a qualified mental health professional to diagnose your pain and suffering and seek fair compensation.
If you seek treatment in response to your pain and suffering, your lawyer will include the treatment-related expenses in your case.
Vehicle Repair Costs
Your car accident settlement must include compensation for repairing or replacing your vehicle. The settlement may also cover the cost of a rental car, ridesharing, or other temporary transportation.
Professional Damages
If the effects of your accident interfere with your ability to work, you may suffer:
- Lost income
- Lost earning power
- Lost bonuses
- Lost promotion opportunities
- Lost overtime opportunities
- Other professional harm
If your work-related injuries take a long-term toll, your lawyer may consult an economist to measure the future cost of your professional damages.
A Wrongful Death
Some car accident victims tragically pass away because of their injuries.
These accidents often prompt wrongful death lawsuits, in which recoverable damages can include:
- Funeral expenses
- Burial costs
- The loss of a spouse’s companionship
- Loss of a parent’s guidance (if state laws deem this a recoverable damage)
- Loss of the decedent’s household services
- Loss of the decedent’s income
- Loss of any benefits the decedent provided loved ones through their employer (such as health insurance and retirement contributions)
- Pain and suffering, of which grief is the most common sort
Losing a loved one suddenly causes unique hardship for survivors, who may feel the weight of not having closure with the deceased. Experienced attorneys know how to get justice for those affected by both fatal and non-fatal car accidents.
Considerations That Can Affect the Value of Any Car Accident Settlement
No two car accident victims have exactly the same damages. As your lawyer calculates the value of the settlement you deserve, they will consider all variables affecting settlement demands and negotiations.
For instance, your lawyer will weigh:
- The details of your injuries: Each injury is different, and you may have multiple injuries requiring careful examination. Your unique symptoms will be directly relevant to the calculation of your damages.
- Your recovery timetable: The period you experience injury symptoms may affect your professional damages, medical costs, and other damages. Your attorney will monitor your recovery and consult medical professionals about your timetable for healing.
- Whether you are disabled: If you have one or more disabling injuries, this will likely increase the value of your case. Those with disabilities often require medical equipment, long-term caregiver services, and rehabilitation and face immense pain and suffering. You may also lose all earning power due to a disabling injury.
Ultimately, the financial cost of your accident-related damages will dictate how much your lawyer demands. Allow a lawyer to handle these details. Focus only on recovery.
How Do I Know That I Am Seeking the Right Amount of Compensation?
This is perhaps the most pressing question you face during the claims process and any lawsuit you pursue. You can hire a car accident lawyer, who will take several steps to ensure the accuracy of their settlement demands.
A lawyer’s system for ensuring a fair settlement value may include:
Totaling Your Existing Damages
You may already have damages your lawyer can total and include in their settlement calculation. For instance, you may already know the cost of repairing or replacing your damaged car.
Your lawyer will tally all existing damages and include them in your case.
Considering Your Timeline for Recovery
If you have yet to heal from your accident-related injuries, your lawyer will consult your doctors about:
- The specific details of your injuries, including symptoms
- Whether any of your injury symptoms are likely to be permanent
- The progress you have made in recovery since the accident happened
- A potential timetable for you to heal fully (or as fully as possible) from your injuries
Your recovery timeline could directly affect the cost of your medical care, so your lawyer will gather as much information as possible about the timetable.
Projecting All Future Damages
By the time your lawyer needs to negotiate a settlement, you may have several unresolved damages. For instance, if you have a disabling injury, you may face many years ahead of pain and suffering, medical costs, and lost income.
Your attorney will work with knowledgeable experts to project any future damages you will suffer. They will do everything in their power to ensure you don’t pay one cent out of pocket for harm someone else has caused you.
Consulting Experts
Doctors, mental healthcare professionals, economists, and other experts can ensure that your lawyer calculates your damages accurately. Attorneys are not shy about relying on experts in their respective fields, which is especially important when someone has serious injuries causing long-term damages.
Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer to Seek Compensation for My Concussion?
Yes, hiring a car accident attorney is always wise, as you put your claim in the hands of a trusted professional. Many injured car accident victims choose to hire a lawyer rather than handling their own claims, and they often greatly benefit from the right legal representation.
Some common reasons for relying on attorneys include:
- The lawyer’s experience: While degrees of experience vary from one lawyer and firm to the next, it is almost certain that your attorney will have prior experience with car accident cases. This will mean the lawyer understands insurance companies’ tactics, knows the challenges of completing a case, and will prepare for everything your case requires.
- The law firm’s financial support: Car accident lawyers typically use contingency fees. When this is the case, the client does not pay the firm a guaranteed fee. Instead, the lawyer receives their fee as a percentage of any settlement or verdict they secure for the client. The client has no out-of-pocket cost, and the firm covers all upfront expenses.
- The client’s physical health: Concussions are sensitive injuries that require rest and, perhaps, multiple types of treatment. If you do not get rest and receive the treatment you need (because you are focusing on your case), your physical health can suffer.
- The client’s mental health: You may be psychologically and emotionally fragile because of your accident and resulting injuries. Trying to manage your own case can only worsen your mental health.
Most car accident victims have two top priorities after serious collisions: Recovering and securing fair compensation for their accident-related damages. Hiring a lawyer may serve both of these ends.
A Concussion Is an Injury That Warrants Your Attention (and Plenty of Rest)
Though some downplay concussions as a minor form of injury, this is wrong. Because these injuries occur often in certain sports, the public has developed a misconception that they can just shake them off.
The truth is, every brain injury is serious. Concussions can even kill if the concussed individual does not receive all necessary care.
Concussion symptoms can include:
- Fatigue
- Sensitivity to light
- Vision problems
- Confusion
- Memory problems
- Dizziness
- Speech problems
The brain is central to everything we do, so an injury to the brain can have alarming and significant ramifications. If you expose yourself to the stress of an insurance claim or lawsuit while concussed, both your health and your case will likely suffer.
How Should I Choose the Right Lawyer?
Most car accident victims will benefit from hiring an attorney who:
- Has results in car accident cases: A lawyer’s results demonstrate they can deliver results. You may seek a law firm with a long, varied record of securing settlements and verdicts for car accident victims.
- Will not hesitate to go to trial: See a lawyer who has won trials. It is not a given that an insurance company or other liable party will offer the compensation you deserve. If you need to sue liable parties, you need to have a lawyer who will fight for you in court.
- Has a reputation for connecting with clients: Trust is among the traits clients value most highly in attorneys. A lawyer who communicates often and transparently inspires trust in their clients. Evaluate reviews from a lawyer’s former clients to determine how a lawyer does (or doesn’t) connect with those they represent.
- Has experience serving the community where your case will take place: Your lawyer should be in or close to the city where your case will take place. This will ensure the attorney can meet with you in person and attend all necessary obligations.
- Meets your unique criteria: Every person values different criteria. Perhaps you are most concerned with a lawyer’s reputation for client service, or you may place the highest value on case results. Determine what is most important to you and seek a lawyer who meets your criteria.
Most personal injury lawyers offer free consultations. These consultations are opportunities to evaluate a law firm before you hire them. Consider asking any questions that help you pick a lawyer, including why the law firm is the right choice to lead your case.
When Should I Hire a Car Accident Attorney?
You should hire your car accident attorney as soon as you possibly can.
If you wait any significant time after your accident to hire your lawyer, you may:
- Allow the deadline for filing your case to expire, which may prevent you from seeking all the compensation you deserve
- Prevent your lawyer from obtaining all evidence that benefits your case
- Face attempts by liable insurance companies to undermine your case
- Face stress while you are handling your own case
Law firms are generally available around the clock to speak with prospective clients. The sooner you choose your car accident lawyer, the sooner your attorney may resolve your case. This means you can move on from this difficult time in your life with fair compensation in your possession.
Will My Lawyer Handle My Entire Case?
Yes, your personal injury lawyer will handle every step of your case, from creating a personalized strategy to completing any necessary trial. All you must do is follow your lawyer’s advice and your doctor’s orders, and your legal team will handle the rest.
