Any injury that happened in an accident where someone else was at fault or results from another party’s reckless, careless, or negligent actions can be considered a personal injury. That means harm and damages you could list in your personal injury claim can range from relatively minor cuts and scrapes to significant brain trauma and spinal damage, depending on your specific circumstances.
Some of the more common injuries victims of personal injury suffer include:
- Fractured or broken bones
- Severe burns
- Concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Wrongful death
- Amputations
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Spine injuries, including partial or full paralysis
What’s My Personal Injury Claim Worth?
You may not be able to predict all the future hardships and expenses you’ll face as a result of your injuries accurately. For example, your physical therapy necessary for your recovery could continue for an undetermined time, ranging from weeks to even years. Therefore, it’s challenging to put a “lump sum” value on the cost of your physical rehabilitation.
You may want to recover some of these financial damages or losses in your personal injury claim:
- Property damage
- Present and future medical and rehabilitation costs
- Lifestyle adaptations and accommodations made necessary by your injuries
- Lost wages and earning potential due to an inability to work
If you don’t pursue the appropriate amount of compensation, you may end up paying out of your own pocket for ongoing or unforeseen expenses. If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you will want to avoid getting into that situation. A personal injury attorney will have the knowledge and experience to help you get the compensation you deserve and place a precise value on your claim.
Additional Considerations for Personal Injury
Personal injury law is a vast and complex law focus. You may have questions, and your personal injury attorney can provide those answers. Here are some things you should know:
►You might be compensated for non-monetary damages in a personal injury claim.
Accident-related injuries leave victims with more than just medical bills and lost wages from work. Pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and reduced quality of life are some of the more common non-economic, or intangible, damages that can be pursued in personal injury claims. An attorney can help you put a dollar value on these intangibles.
►The insurance company may refuse to settle your personal injury claim Insurance companies are concerned about their bottom line and are often looking for ways to avoid paying out compensation victims deserve after vehicle accidents and other similar situations. The more they pay out to you, the more their profits suffer. A personal injury attorney knows how to deal with insurance companies, and can negotiate for a settlement on your behalf.
►You won’t likely have a courtroom hearing or trial for a personal injury
You probably won’t have to appear in court. However, if the at-fault party refuses to offer an optimal out-of-court settlement, you may need to fight for the compensation you’re owed by appearing in court. The upside of that is that taking a personal injury claim to court with representation from a personal injury attorney often results in higher compensation awards than settlements.