If you’re injured in a car accident, then you want to make sure you get as much compensation as possible. The one who caused the incident must cover your medical bills, damages, and losses, after all. But settlement amounts vary from one case to another. Just because someone else got a generous sum it doesn’t mean you will get yours that easily.
So, you may wonder if hiring a personal injury lawyer will help you obtain more settlement money. Lawyers can help you navigate a case more effectively and avoid things that could harm a potentially favorable outcome. But how will a personal injury lawyer influence the settlement amount, though? Keep reading to find out.
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Key Points
- Personal injury settlements differ based on the unique circumstances of each case, and comparing settlements from different cases isn’t a reliable indicator of potential compensation.
- Engaging a personal injury lawyer can significantly boost the likelihood and amount of a settlement, with studies showing payouts can be up to 3.5 times higher with legal representation.
- These lawyers play a crucial role in determining the party at fault and assessing the available insurance coverage.
- Personal injury lawyers meticulously evaluate both economic (e.g., medical bills) and non-economic (e.g., emotional trauma) damages to determine the rightful compensation.
- Skilled attorneys assist in negotiation processes, ensuring victims get the maximum possible settlement against insurance companies’ attempts to minimise payouts.
What Exactly Is a Good Personal Injury Settlement?
Each personal injury case is unique. That means that the compensation amount is different for all of them. Even though many articles will tell you an average personal injury settlement amount, the specific claim’s facts will usually determine the fair settlement.
For instance, what is fair for an individual who has suffered life-changing injuries in a car accident is different than what is fair for someone who was involved in a bicycle accident and got out of it with nothing but a broken bone and a few scratches. That being said, you cannot use other cases as an example of how much you might get in settlement.
Every single detail about your claim, from the injuries you’ve suffered to how they affected your life and more, could affect your settlement.
Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help You Get More Settlement Money?
Hiring a personal injury lawyer increases the chances of a successful case. You will work with someone who has experience in the field and can share his or her knowledge with you to help you get justice.
Experienced attorneys have already dealt with many cases like yours and will do their best to achieve the best possible result. This also means that they will work to maximise the amount of the settlement.
According to studies, personal injury lawyers can boost the amount of settlement you obtain in a personal injury case. The Insurance Research Council conducted a very important study on insurance claim payments. The result was that having the right lawyer can not only make the settlement more likely to occur but can also raise the amount.
Thus, hiring a personal injury lawyer can lead to a settlement payout that is 3.5 times higher. Also, 85% of settlements involved a lawyer.
How Will a Personal Injury Lawyer Help Obtain a Settlement?
Personal injury lawyers have many responsibilities during a case. Here is how the expert you hire can maximize the settlement’s value:
Finding Out Who is at Fault
In a personal injury case, one of the parties is usually responsible for the incident, although there are situations when both parties contributed to it to some degree. A personal injury attorney will work to determine liability.
On top of that, the attorney will also access the insurance coverage available. There is at least one insurance company involved in any personal injury claim. How much one can get in compensation depends on the maximum coverage that the policy covers.
Assessing Damages
Personal injury lawyers will assess damages to figure out how much you should get in settlement money.
There are two types of losses: economic and non-economic. The former includes monetary losses related to your injuries, such as property damage and medical bills. Meanwhile, non-economic damages include psychological and emotional damages. Under non-economic damages, a victim can be compensated for their pain and suffering.
Negotiating a Settlement
Your attorney will be the one helping you with settlement negotiations to make sure you can get as much as you deserve for the injury, pain, suffering, and loss experienced. Insurance companies will do their best to avoid having to pay anything, but having an attorney to help you will increase your likelihood of getting a satisfying settlement.
Final Thoughts
Every year, the courts see numerous personal injury cases, with car accidents being one of the most common causes. For example, in Oregon, by April 2023, 131 fatalities already occurred due to motor vehicle traffic accidents, and even more got injured. So, if you or a loved one has been injured in one of these accidents, you can seek a Portland personal injury lawyer who will make sure you get the best settlement ever.