What You Get From an Auto Accident Settlement

The amount you receive from a settlement in a car accident will depend on the severity of your injuries. Medical bills are more expensive for more serious injuries.

Documenting your losses will help you maximize your settlement. Your lawyer can make a list of damages, including doctor's notes wage records, as well as eyewitness testimonies.

Medical bills

If someone is injured in an accident in the car medical bills are often on their minds. In most personal injury cases, the law will cover the costs. However, it can take months or even years before the responsible driver is held accountable through a court decision or settlement agreement. In the meantime, victims accrue medical bills that need to be paid.

Car accident injuries typically require substantial medical treatment including surgery and physical therapy. The associated medical costs are often quite expensive. It is crucial that victims are aware that they shouldn't be responsible for their own medical bills after the crash. Instead the at-fault driver should be held accountable for these costs as part of their settlement for the accident.

In some cases, a party at fault may be responsible directly for the victim's medical expenses. In some instances, the victim’s health insurance policy or med-pay plan will pay these costs when they are accumulated. These expenses can be covered by rolling claims depending on the coverage of the victim's insurance and the situation.

In certain cases the hospital or health insurance company could create a lien against a portion of a settlement made by a victim. A lawyer with experience can negotiate these liens in order to put more money into the pockets of the victim.

Loss of wages

A car accident can wreak havoc on your finances. You may also have to pay for lost wages due to your injuries, as well as the cost of medical bills and property damage. New York law requires that your car insurance policy reimburse the loss of income up to a limit. Your attorney will fight to recover the full amount of your lost earnings.

Paystubs, as well as other wage documents are the most popular way to prove income loss. Other relevant documents are bank statements, auto accident lawsuit invoices and correspondence for self-employed workers. It is also important to have letters from your employer that substantiates the number of hours/days you missed because of your injury.

If you suffer a long-term injury that reduces your capacity to work or prohibits you from working at all the lawyer you hire may consult an expert financial or economic expert to determine the worth of your earnings potential. In this case the expert will analyze your age, education level and education, credentials, career path, and job duties you are no longer in a position to perform.

At Michaels Bersani Kalabanka, our Syracuse car accident lawyers frequently encounter clients who have been severely injured in accidents and no longer work. Not only do they have the right to compensation for lost wages due to accidents that weren't their responsibility, but they may also be eligible for additional compensation through the insurance company of the driver or car owner who was at fault.

Pain and suffering

Car accident victims deserve compensation for the emotional stress and pain they feel following an accident. But, since emotional stress and physical pain cannot be documented in a photograph or auto accident lawsuit documented using x-rays, insurance companies tend to deny these losses. This is why it's essential to have a professional personal injury lawyer to represent you when dealing with the insurance company of the driver who is at fault.

Your Queens injury attorney can help you gather evidence to back your claim. Medical bills and official diagnosis, for example, can be used to demonstrate the severity of a victim's injuries. A diary or journal that starts on the date of the accident and continues throughout recovery can also document symptoms of emotional distress and physical discomfort.

The degree of your injuries will also influence the amount of your settlement. A spinal cord injury or a serious head trauma, for instance can result in a greater settlement than a minor sprain that heals within three weeks.

The amount of your injuries are an important aspect that can affect your auto accident lawsuits accident settlement. Your lawyer will assist you determine the value of your injuries and create an effective case to receive the full amount you deserve. To learn more about the different types of damages that can be awarded in the course of a New York auto accident lawsuit, contact an experienced attorney.

Damages

As we've mentioned above settlement awards are intended to pay victims of car accidents for financial losses. The amount of compensation awarded will depend on the severity and degree of the injuries sustained by the victim and also the amount of the victim has lost in the form of their absence from work or property damage.

In addition, the award could also include non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. Insurance companies employ an algorithm to calculate the amount they have to pay. These damages are difficult to quantify however they can be calculated. A multiplier, usually dependent on medical expenses is added to the quantifiable expenses to determine a settlement amount for non-economic damages. Injuries that are severe and permanent typically result in higher settlement amounts than injuries that are minor or temporary.

A car crash can be a traumatic experience and the costs associated with it can be life-altering. While a settlement will not erase these losses, it should provide a compensation that helps victims get through their financial challenges and restore some normalcy to their lives.

A seasoned lawyer for car accidents is able to evaluate your case and fight for the most lucrative settlement. Although it may be tempting to settle for a lesser settlement than you deserve this could affect your future recovery. You waive your right to file a lawsuit or other claims related to the accident after you sign the settlement agreement.