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What You Get From an Auto Accident Settlement

The amount you will receive from an auto accident settlement is contingent on the extent of your injuries. Injuries that are more severe will result in higher current and future medical bills.

Documenting your losses will increase your settlement. Your lawyer can compile the complete list of damages that include doctors’ notes, wage documentation, and eyewitness testimony.

Medical bills

Medical bills are often the first thing that people think about when they get injured in a car crash. In most personal injury cases, the law covers the costs. It may take months or, in some instances years before the driver at fault is found liable by the court or settlement agreement, however. In the meantime, victims incur medical bills that must be paid.

Car accident injuries often require extensive medical treatment which includes surgery and physical therapy. Medical bills can be expensive. It is essential that victims understand that they shouldn’t have to pay their own medical expenses following an accident. Instead, the at-fault motorist should be responsible for them as part of their settlement for the accident.

In some instances the at-fault party can pay for the victim’s medical bills directly. In some instances the victim’s health insurance or med-pay will pay these expenses as they accumulate. Depending on the victim’s situation and the type of insurance coverage, these bills may be covered under rolling claims.


In some cases the hospital or health insurance provider could place a lien against the victim’s settlement. A qualified attorney can help negotiate these liens to put more money in the pockets of the victim.

Loss of wages

A car accident can cause a major impact on your financial situation. In addition to medical expenses and property damage, you may be required to pay for lost wages because of your injuries. New York law requires that the insurance company that covers your vehicle reimburse the loss of income up to a maximum. Your lawyer will work with you to receive the full amount you are entitled to for your lost income.

Paystubs or other wage documents are the most common way to prove income loss. If auto accident attorneys tuscaloosa were self-employed or worked on commission, other pertinent documents include profit-and-loss statements, invoices, receipts, bank statements, and financial correspondence. A letter from your employer confirming the number of days/hours that you were absent from work because of your injuries is equally important.

If you suffer from an injury that will permanently limit or prevents your earning potential the income you desire, your lawyer will seek out an economist or financial expert in order to determine your future earning potential. In this kind of situation, the expert will review your age, education level, credentials, training along with your career tracker and work responsibilities that you could not perform anymore.

At Michaels Bersani Kalabanka, our Syracuse car accident lawyers often deal with clients who are injured in accidents and can no longer work. Not only are they entitled to compensation for lost wages resulting from accidents that weren’t their negligence, but they could also be eligible for additional compensation through the insurance of the driver or owner of the vehicle who was at fault.

Suffering and pain

After a car accident, crash victims must be compensated for their emotional stress and pain. Insurance companies tend to ignore emotional pain and suffering because they are not documented with photographs or xrays. It is essential to have a seasoned personal injury lawyer to represent you when dealing with the insurance company of the person who was at fault.

Your Queens injury attorney can help you gather evidence that supports your claim. For example, a victim’s medical bills as well as written formal diagnoses can prove the severity of their injuries. A journal or diary that begins at the time of the accident and continues throughout recovery can also document symptoms of emotional distress and physical discomfort.

The extent of your injuries could also influence the amount of your settlement. A spinal cord injury or severe head trauma, for example, may result in a greater settlement than a minor sprain that heals within three weeks.

The amount of your injuries are a critical aspect that can affect your auto accident settlement. Your lawyer will assist in calculating your damages and building an effective case to receive the full compensation that you deserve. Contact an experienced lawyer today to find out more about the various types of damages in the case of a New York car accident lawsuit.

Damages

As we’ve discussed previously settlement awards are intended to pay victims of car accidents for their financial losses. The amount of compensation will depend on the severity and extent of the injuries sustained by the victim as well as how much money they’ve lost as a result of missed work or property damage.

A verdict will also include noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering. Insurance companies employ an equation to calculate the amount they are required to pay. These damages are difficult to quantify however they can be determined. A multiplier, typically calculated based on medical costs, is added to the quantifiable costs to determine a settlement amount for non-economic damages. Major injuries and permanent impairments are usually paid more than minor injuries or temporary injuries.

A car crash can be a devastating experience and the financial losses that come with it can be life-altering. Although settlement won’t be enough to eliminate these losses, it can provide a compensation that helps the victim to overcome their financial hardships and bring some order back to their lives.

A lawyer who has experience is able to assess your case and fight for the best settlement high as is possible. While it could be tempting to accept a lower amount than you are entitled to, this could hinder your future recovery. You give up your rights to file a lawsuit or other claims related to the accident after you sign the settlement agreement.