Are you seeking compensation for a recent injury? Knowing how much to ask for in a personal injury settlement can help you develop a solid legal strategy. However, you don’t need to build your case alone.
Below, a New Orleans personal injury attorney explains how to calculate your losses and pursue reimbursement.
Calculating Your Losses
Personal injury settlements can be tricky to initiate for some people. In many cases, plaintiffs are seeking not only compensation for a single hospital visit but for multiple financial losses. It’s wise to hire a lawyer who can help you organize evidence, calculate losses, and communicate with insurance adjusters.
If you aren’t sure how much to ask for in a personal injury settlement, personal injury attorneys can help. You will need to account for a few factors when calculating losses, as follows.
Type of Damages Sustained
You could seek anywhere from a few thousand dollars to seven-digit sums, depending on your injuries.
Suppose you received multiple injuries from a car accident you were not responsible for causing. You might manage chronic pain from whiplash, lacerations, and a traumatic brain injury. Each of these conditions would require significant medical attention and long-term treatment.
Covering these expenses would be more costly than, for example, treating a wrist fracture. Your attorney could help you determine if you should seek higher restitution corresponding to the quantity and severity of your injuries.
Medical Bills
Your injuries might require months or even years of medical expenses. In this case, you can pursue compensation to cover all these losses. A personal injury lawyer will collect doctor’s notes, medical reports, and other essential documents to prove the reasonability of your claim.
Your demands may change if you develop delayed symptoms that require additional medical treatment. If these problems manifest, your attorney can adjust your strategy and update you on what to expect.
Lost Wages
Some people don’t realize they can seek reimbursement for lost wages after an injury. Medical treatment and doctor recommendations may prevent you from returning to work after an accident. If you miss out on a paycheck due to this absence, it may be appropriate to pursue litigation.
Your insurance company may offer some reimbursement after you file a personal injury claim. However, these companies typically try to pay as little as possible. Let a lawyer represent you in these matters, so you are confident moving forward.
Non-Economic Losses
Knowing how much to ask for in a personal injury settlement may be easier when calculating tangible losses.
However, many personal injury victims carry the heavy burden of pain and suffering. It can be challenging to put a number on psychological distress and physical discomfort. Still, it may be appropriate to seek monetary reimbursement to help make life more manageable after an injury.
A lawyer will meet with you to discuss your concerns and collect evidence from doctors, psychologists, and other relevant professionals. Using this information, they can produce a reasonable financial sum that may reduce the impact of individual pain and suffering.
Often, defendants will try to lower this number to avoid paying more during negotiations. Suppose you decide to take your case to court. In this situation, you must convince a jury that your pain and suffering are significant enough for additional compensation.
Expect your personal injury attorney to represent you with dignity and respect throughout the process.
Speak With a Personal Injury Attorney Today
It’s hard to pursue compensation when you are focusing on recovery. At The Voorhies Law Firm, we take pride in completing the hard work on your behalf. Our attorneys will develop a personalized legal strategy for your case and work tirelessly to recover damages.
The duration of personal injury lawsuits varies from case to case. Nevertheless, we’ll fight for you from beginning to end.Are you still unsure how much to ask for in a personal injury settlement? Contact us at The Voorhies Law Firm in New Orleans, LA, at 504-875-2223.