Are you considering making a personal injury claim? Maybe you are looking for information for a loved one? Personal injury claims are filed for a vast number of reasons, from falling on a broken pavement to being injured in the workplace because of unsafe practices. No matter what has happened, though, it is important to get the payout you deserve. The issue is that a lot of people don’t bother to make a claim because they feel it will be too expensive or they don’t think they will get a lot of money at the end of it all. That is why we decided to put this blog post together. We are going to take a look at all of the monetary elements involved when making a claim for compensation. So, let’s get started…
Working out the value of your claim
Of course, it is not possible for any law firm or legal professional to give you an accurate figure of how much your claim is worth without knowing the ins and outs of your case. If you would like a more accurate estimate, you should get in touch with a company like Doug Newborn law firm. Nevertheless, in this section, we will divulge how compensation amounts are calculated while also giving you some general guidelines on amounts.
The first thing you need to recognize is that compensation is split into two parts. The first part is general damages, and this is the money you will receive the compensation you for your injuries and your suffering. This is calculated based on the medical report that is supplied by your doctor. There are so many different factors taken into account, ranging from the severity of your original injury to the treatment that has been recommended by the doctor.
The second part of compensation is special damages. This relates to any out of pocket expenses you have incurred because of the accident and your injuries. This includes the likes of prescription costs, travel expenses, counseling costs, loss of income, and such like. You will need proof of these expenses, so do not throw away your receipts or any other relevant documents.
So, how much money could you receive? This depends on the type of injury you have sustained. If you have suffered a head injury you could receive anything from around $1,250 to $222,000, with the highest payout being for those that suffer severe brain damage. It is important to remember that this amount does not typically account for any out-of-pocket costs. This will depend on your individual circumstances.
Other areas of the body that are commonly injured include the back, arms, and legs. If you have sustained a minor back injury, with recovery expected to take less than two years without surgery required, you will receive anything from $1,700 to $6,380.
If you have sustained a severe injury that has serious consequences, such as double incontinence or impotence, your compensation will be in the region of $73,700 – $130,130. Arm injuries also range from $5,300 (minor) to $242,500, which is the amount you could receive if you have had to both arms amputated. Leg injuries also differ dramatically, with less serious injuries ranging from around $7,000 to $22,440, while amputation can result in a payout of anything from $77,800 to $227,970.
Please note that these amounts are rough estimates based on various sources online. They are not presented for you to use in terms of assuming that you will receive the money stated – they are merely shown to give you an understanding of just how wildly the payout amounts can differ depending on the circumstances.
Maximizing the payout you receive
There are some things you can do to maximize the payout you receive. This includes the following:
See a doctor
First and foremost, you need to make sure you see a doctor. This may seem obvious. However, it is a step people often bypass when they have suffered a minor injury. A lot of people hate the thought of going to the hospital and so they would much rather cope with the injury alone. Yet, if you do this you will seriously rule out your chances of making a claim. How? Well, there will be no proof that you have ever suffered an injury in the first place.
Contact details
You will also need to get the contact details of the person who is responsible for the accident. Take their name, number, address and the details of their insurer. What happens if you were in a car crash and the driver who was responsible flees the scene? Don’t panic, you can make an untraced driver claim. Nonetheless, it becomes even more important to ensure you get the contact details of any witnesses in this instance, which you should do anyway. Their statements can really strengthen your claim.
Proof of expenses
Last but not least, make sure you keep proof of expenses you have suffered because of the injury in question. Have you had to pay for prescriptions? Have you suffered a loss of income due to your inability to work? Have you needed to sort out childcare whilst you recover? All of these count as special damages and you will be able to pay for them so long as you have proof.
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of the monetary aspects that are associated when it comes to making a compensation claim. After all, when anyone is considering doing this, the main thing they want to know is just how much money they are going to receive if they go forward with their potential case. They also want to know how much they are going to need to spend on legal services. Hopefully, this blog post has shed further light on these sorts of aspects so you can determine whether or not it is worth it.
