Personal Injury Lawsuits
Personal injury lawsuits serve a critical role. When someone else’s actions or negligence injures you, you could be left with substantial medical bills, lost wages, and incur many other expenses that shouldn’t be your responsibility. The life changes brought about by a personal injury could range from merely being inconvenienced for a time to being in a situation where you’re not sure you can keep your head above water. Either way, personal injury lawsuits exist for this reason: You, as the plaintiff, have the right to hold the negligent person or business accountable and seek the compensation you need and deserve to get your life back on track.
What is the Value of My Personal Injury Case?
There is no way to value your claim precisely, but you can add up the individual factors to find an approximate value.The value of a personal injury case depends upon a few key factors, including:
- The circumstances of your accident or injury
- The severity of your injuries
- Limits on insurance coverage
- Other things
As a plaintiff in a personal injury case, you could be eligible to receive monetary compensation for damages, including:
- Past medical bills
- Future medical bills;
- Lost wages while recovering
- Lost earning potential
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
While some of these factors might not have a clearly articulated value at first, based on past experiences, a personal injury attorney can offer an estimated value after carefully reviewing your medical records, statements, police records, and other evidence. The lawyer will also examine the progression or regression of your mental and physical state after the accident or injury. Assessing the whole picture can provide insight into what to expect from a personal injury lawsuit.
Will My Personal Injury Case Go to Trial?
The majority of personal injury cases don’t go to trial. Most resolve in settlements before a trial date arrives. However, when there is a contested legal issue, or the facts are in dispute, a courtroom trial is more likely. The more carefully you and your personal injury lawyer craft your case, the more likely it is that you and the other side can agree based on the strength of your evidence. When an agreement is satisfied, the two sides can reach an appropriate settlement. If your case is one of those that needs to go to trial, your lawyer can help prepare you for what to expect.
How Long Will My Personal Injury Lawsuit Take to Get a Settlement?
There are times when your attorney can work one-on-one with the other party or the insurance company and reach a swift resolution. The shortest and most straightforward cases can resolve in only a few weeks and without any courtroom litigation. However, in other cases, litigation can go on for a year or longer. The more complicated the case is, the longer you should expect it to take. You will likely have some control over the time your case takes to resolve because it’s up to you and your attorney to accept or reject settlement offers.