Every personal injury case is different because everyone’s situation is unique. For example, if you got hurt in a car crash, another passenger in your car might have a personal injury claim worth much more or much less than yours.
A South Carolina personal injury attorney would need to talk to you and investigate your case before being able to calculate its monetary value. Here are some of the factors that can help answer the question of “How much is my personal injury case worth?”
What Factors Can Affect the Settlement Value of a Personal Injury Claim?
The things that can determine how much compensation you might be able to pursue will vary from one case to the next. Here are some of the common items that can impact your claim:
- The severity of your injuries, for example, a sprain as opposed to a fracture
- The type of injuries you sustained, such as losing your sight versus getting a concussion
- How well you healed, including complications you experienced
- Long-term impairment from your injuries
- Facts that tend to anger a jury, like a drunk driver or intentionally hurting someone
Your injury case might have additional factors that could increase or decrease the financial worth of your claim against the at-fault party.
Types of Money Damages
While we cannot throw out a number that accurately represents the value of your personal injury case without talking to you and getting more information, it could help you understand the types of money damages that people often seek in personal injury cases.
Lost Wages
If you missed work without pay because of an accident that was someone else’s fault, you might be able to seek compensation for your lost wages, salary, self-employment, or other forms of regular income.
Diminished Earning Capacity
Sometimes people have to reduce their working hours or take lower-paying positions because of chronic problems following a severe injury. Back pain, weakness, and decreased range of motion are just a few of the ongoing issues that can cause a person to make less money than before getting hurt. These situations can cause financial hardship for the injured person.
Medical Expenses
You can usually recover the reasonable cost of the treatment you needed for your injuries. This category can include things like the ambulance, trauma center, hospital, and doctors. Diagnostic procedures, lab tests, surgery, blood transfusions, and pain management can also be a part of this type of money damages.
Future Medical Treatments
Your doctor might decide that you will need additional interventions, like skin grafts or other surgical procedures, to restore as much function and health as possible. The estimated cost of these procedures and your time away from work can get added to your injury claim.
Intangible Losses
Some types of losses do not always have receipts or invoices that help to measure their value in dollars. Still, these are valid items for which an injured person can seek compensation from the party who negligently or intentionally harmed them.
Disfigurement from highly visible extensive scars, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and pain and suffering can belong in this category.
These are but a few examples of the many things that can get included in a personal injury claim. A South Carolina personal injury attorney can handle your case so that you can focus on getting better. Call our office today to schedule a consultation.