What Is a Fair Settlement for a Car Accident?
4 Powerful Determining Factors to Know
Short answer to this common question is that a fair car accident settlement will cover all the financial damages that occurred as a direct result of the accident. With that being said, there is no universal dollar amount for a fair settlement, because the unique factors of each individual incident play into the end result of a personal injury case. In other words, if you broke an arm as a result of a car accident, and it will heal fairly quickly, you probably won’t be awarded as much as another victim who suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
However, determining a fair insurance settlement is much more complex than simply comparing injuries. Four powerful factors that can affect the amount of compensation won, include:
- Your insurance policy coverage
- The policy coverage of the responsible party
- How much your injuries will cost you into the future
- The state in which the accident occurred
With all of the possible scenarios, it’s important to have a quality car accident attorney fighting for your compensation from the start. So, if you were injured in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, contact Patterson Legal Group today.
Our lawyers have a proven track record of winning clients the highest settlement possible while treating you with the respect they deserve. So, don’t wait- call (888) 687-2400, fill out our online form, or utilize our convenient LiveChat feature.
What Is a Settlement?
According to the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School, a settlement is “an agreement that ends a dispute and results in the voluntary dismissal of any related litigation.” In the case of a car accident, a settlement ends the dispute between the injured party and the party that caused the accident, awarding the injured party with a fair amount of financial compensation. Usually, this settlement is between the injured party and the liable party’s insurance company, rather than the individual, individuals, or company that is responsible for the accident.
After a fair amount of financial compensation is agreed upon, the injured party signs a waiver, agreeing to not seek financial recovery in the future.
Many car accident victims are tempted to settle their cases quickly. After all, while facing months or years of physical recovery, a shortened legal process sounds enticing- especially for a few thousand dollars. And, insurance companies are known to reach out to victims far too soon after a traumatic accident, sometimes while still in their hospital bed, all in hopes of settling quickly and for less.
But, if the victim does not agree to these initial terms, and works with an experienced personal injury attorney, there is a good chance that they may win a larger amount of financial compensation for their injuries.
What Factors Determine the Amount of Money Awarded in a Settlement?
As briefly mentioned before, there are a multitude of different factors that are taken into account when determining the amount of money to be awarded after an accident. When you reach out to Patterson Legal Group, your attorney will consider all of these factors to determine an appropriate amount of compensation to fight for.
Damages
First, your attorney will consider what affected the victim after the accident and costs involved both now and into the future. Damages come in 2 varieties: economic and non-economic. Here are some examples of economic damages, or damages that have a clearer cost associated with them:
- Medical bills
- Hospital stay
- EMT services (ambulance rides)
- Prescription drug costs
- Lost wages (both now and in the future)
- Occupational Therapy
- Mental health Counseling
- Surgeries
- Reconstructive surgeries
- Home improvement costs (wheelchair ramps, etc.)
Some damages are more complex to determine, because there is no clear price:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium
As the victim of such an accident, you don’t want to spend your time calculating non-economic and economic damages. Rather, rely on Patterson Legal Group to do this while you focus on recovery.
Liability (Who Caused Your Accident)
Of course, the key to winning this financial compensation is to determine who caused your accident. Each state has its own laws that affect car accident liability. For the states that we work with:
- Kansas follow no-fault car accident laws, so your OWN insurance company will pay for your damages, no matter what party caused the accident.
- Missouri is an at-fault state, which works more traditionally- the responsible party’s insurance company covers the damages.
The Insurance Companies
While insurance companies often portray themselves as helpful entities that are only here to serve, they are completely focused on profits. So, while they will help you and serve their purpose, they will try to do so with as little money as possible. A car accident attorney from Patterson Legal Group can hold them accountable.
The Attorney You Work With
Above all, you need a skilled car accident attorney to help you recover a fair settlement after your car accident. Reach Patterson Legal Group 24/7 today to set up your free case evaluation. We work on a “no win, no fee” basis, so you need not fear costly legal fees. Call (888) 687-2400 today!
The information on this blog is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to serve as legal advice for an individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship nor does viewing this material constitute an attorney-client relationship.
