How Can I Determine How Much My Claim Is Worth?

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How Can I Determine How Much My Claim Is Worth?

If someone is liable and negligent and they are capable of paying the damages, then you need to determine what your losses are. In the case of medical expenses, you can know to a certain extent what you can expect. But, if the injuries are very severe, requiring extended treatment, perhaps for the rest of your life, the costs must be estimated. There is also the matter of pain and suffering. One rule of thumb, that some use, is the tripling of the medical costs as a general scale for pain and suffering. Of course, this can vary considerably, given the wide range of circumstances, which might surround any individual case.

For purposes of settlement, a claim is valued upon an estimate of what a jury would likely believe the case to be worth, taking into account the severity of the injury, the effects of the injury on your life and the negligence of the other party. Any settlement will be reduced if there appears to be a good chance that the claim will not be successful. Other factors that may reduce the damages include past medical history, preexisting injuries, and prior claims history.

Considerable compensation may be commanded if your injuries are severe requiring extensive medical treatment, absences from work and permanent injuries. This is especially true if you were a healthy, productive, young worker prior to the accident. That is because an important factor in the value of your claim is the difference between your quality of life before the accident as compared to after the accident.

Other Alabama Personal Injury FAQs

Q: I Was Injured. What Can I Do Now?
A: If your injury was a result of someone else's negligence, you can take that person to court and you may be awarded money to cover your losses. Alabama is a … More
Q: Who Is Responsible When A Person Is Injured?
A: The law of personal injury is concerned with determining who may be responsible for your injuries and how much they should be required to pay for your damages. … More
Q: How Do I Decide If I Need To Hire An Attorney?
A: There are situations where an attorney is unnecessary, such as very small cases. Small claims court in Alabama will handle claims up to $3000. If your injury is a … More
Q: How Much Will An Attorney Cost?
A: An attorney who believes a case has merit will take the case without payment up front. They will take the case on a contingency basis, which means they will receive a … More
Q: How Long Do I Have To Hire An Attorney?
A: The law requires that you file a lawsuit within a specified period of time depending on the nature of the claim and the entity that caused your injury. This is … More
Q: How Will My Claim Be Processed?
A: If the person who caused your injury has insurance, an insurance adjuster will gather the pertinent records including medical records, medical bills, wage loss … More
Q: What Damages Can I Recover?
A: You can recover your actual damages, which are your actual losses such as medical expenses and wage loss. The law allows compensation for future medical and care … More