With car accident claims, the amount of compensation that can be claimed will be determined by how serious the accident was and the level of injuries sustained in addition to vehicle damage.
Lawyers such as Franks Gerkin Ponitz & Greeley, who are experienced in personal accident claims, will be able to guide you through the process if you are in this situation and want to file for compensation.
We shall therefore consider how the claims of compensation are affected by the different types of injuries that might be sustained.
Low-level injury
An injury such as whiplash can be claimed for after a car accident. Whiplash is caused by a person’s neck forcibly bending forwards and back, or the opposite. The injury involves muscles, nerves, tendons, and disks that are in your neck. It is painful and can be temporary, lasting for a few weeks or months, but in some cases, whiplash can be suffered for years after an accident, even for a lifetime.
Temporary injuries will attract lower compensation claims but there still can be some lost income and any car accident can be viewed as potentially having long-term psychological effects on a victim.
Minor whiplash claims have typically been settled for between $10,000 and $100,000.
Life-changing Injuries
Where there have been life-changing injuries resulting from car accidents, very large sums of compensation have been awarded.
Life-changing injuries will include brain injuries, spinal injury, loss of sight or hearing, loss of limbs, chronic pain, or paralysis. Also, burns, because any kind of permanent mark or disfiguration will not just have a significant psychological effect on their victim, but inhibit someone’s ability to find a job that involved meeting the public despite being physically fit. A model, for instance, would struggle with this kind of injury, depending on where the burns were.
Life-changing injuries where injuries have ended up being permanent have been awarded between $1 million and $5 million as a settlement.
Average Settlements
The average payout for compensation for a road accident where physical injuries have been sustained is $15,443, whereas for property damage it is only $3,231. This is how much of a difference personal injuries will make to a claim. A typical claim where everything is involved will include compensation for medical bills, lost income, care required, and trauma suffered. The longer someone is off work, the higher the payout. Some may not work again, so this is when the highest figures are payable.
Then when the personal injury settlement is made, it is good to know that in the majority of cases it will be tax-free. It is not classed as regular income in this instance.
The compensation for personal injury can be paid out in one lump sum or over a series of periodic payments detailed in a structured settlement. These can be tailored to the needs of the individual or family concerned. Once these terms have been agreed upon they cannot then be changed.
It is good to get a lawyer involved when claiming for personal injury in respect of a car accident because we can then receive the maximum possible payouts to help with family finances and living.
Lawyers will fight for a fair settlement when insurance companies and individuals to blame will be looking to keep the settlement as low as possible. A lawyer knows how to gather evidence that will matter in a court case and make the difference.
They know every aspect of a personal injury claim that will mean extra compensation can be added. We are not just talking about the loss of income and additional medical bills but also the long-term mental effects.
The results of past cases will guide lawyers and their legal teams into proving just what compensation has been awarded before, and so should be awarded again. Each person’s circumstances will be different but looking at other cases is useful. This is how most legal decisions are made.
