When seeking how much money a person can get out of suing another party for causing their personal injury, the claimant would naturally get curious about how one might begin calculating the settlement value of a case. But the truth is, the answer to their curiosity isn’t as airtight as one might believe. This is because how much money they can acquire in a case is determined by a multitude of factors.
One of them, and arguably the most important factor, is making sure that they have a personal injury attorney that will stop at nothing to get them the maximum worth of their case.
Aside from the claimant’s legal representation, there are other factors the firm’s team generally considers when determining how much money is in a case. These are:
-
Property Damage
-
Policy Limits
-
Treatment
As a collective, these factors should tell a cohesive story determining how much a case is worth. Let’s do a deep dive as to what each of them actually contributes to the overall case value.
PROPERTY DAMAGE
Property damage is one of the few things a Los Angeles personal injury law firm would look into when determining how much a personal injury claim is worth. It should be fatal enough to justify the plausibility of your personal injury. In other words, the claimant will have a stronger case against the defendant if their vehicle acquired significant damage. If the damage done to their vehicle is merely cosmetic (e.g. a scratch in the car), it’s very unlikely that they’d get much out of their personal injury case, if at all.
POLICY LIMITS
When claimants ask “what is my claim worth?”, the answer to this question can be answered by looking at the involved parties’ insurance policy limits. Policy limits generally determine the maximum value of their case. For example, if the third party’s insurance has a $15,000 policy limit, then that is usually the most settlement money the claimant can get.
$15,000 is the most basic policy limit that individuals can acquire in the state of California, and may not cover all losses accrued by the claimant. This is why having uninsured motorist coverage (UIM) is important. In the event that they will need more than the maximum of the third party’s insurance policy limit to cover their bills, then they may be able to get the maximum amount of their UIM. So if their UIM is $25,000, then that’s the most money they will get. Having a UIM will also help them when they are involved in a hit-and-run accident.
ACTUAL TREATMENT AND PROJECTED TREATMENT
If the claimant seeks help from a personal injury law firm in Los Angeles, they will most likely put them in contact with medical doctors on lien. Getting treated for their injury is crucial in moving their case forward as it will provide proper documentation that illustrates the severity of their injury. Not going to treatment leaves gaps in their personal injury story which potentially devalues their case.
There are instances where the case settles way before proper treatment is done. Fortunately, the claimant can also get compensated for any projected treatment. For example, if the claimant’s doctor recommends surgery somewhere down the road, then the claimant can sue for a higher settlement to cover that medical expense.
CALL OMEGA LAW GROUP
We have represented clients who have been afflicted by various personal injuries, including Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, Soft Tissue Injury, and many more. Our awards and excellent testimonials are a result of our ability to empathize and attend to the needs of our clients. Here at Omega Law Group, you will come first. If you or a loved one is afflicted with an accident, reach out to our team. Visit our Contact Us page or call us at 866-942-3881.