If you have been involved in a serious accident, then you need to make sure that you seek medical care as quickly as possible. After this, it is a good idea to reach out to a trained legal professional. It does not take long for medical bills to start piling up following an accident. Some of the costs that you might have to absorb include deductibles, coinsurance, co-pays, and more.
After this, your health insurance provider might not even cover the cost of your long-term recovery, such as physical therapy and rehabilitation. If the accident is not your fault, then you should not be responsible for these bills. This is where a personal injury attorney can help you. At the same time, there are several factors that are going to influence the outcome of your personal injury case.
The Severity of the Injury
One of the first factors that is going to play a role in the outcome of your personal injury case is the severity of the injury. Obviously, the bigger the injury, the bigger the potential financial settlement. For example, if you have suffered a broken wrist, then you might receive a settlement that is going to cover the cost of surgery, any medications, and any missed time from work.
On the other hand, if you have suffered a traumatic brain injury or a spinal cord injury, these are injuries that could lead to complications that are going to last for the rest of your life. As a result, the potential settlement stemming from this injury is going to be significantly larger. It is important to work with a personal injury attorney who understands how the severity of the injury is going to impact a potential value of a financial settlement.
The Possibility Emotional or Mental Trauma
Another major factor that is going to play a role in the size of a potential personal injury settlement is the role that any emotional or mental trauma might play. For example, some people who are involved in a particularly severe accident might develop something post-traumatic stress disorder, which is usually shortened to PTSD. This is a severe condition that could prevent someone from returning to work, and packing his or her ability to make ends meet. This could drive up the value of a potential settlement.
In addition, it is important to note that these mental health conditions also carry their own medical expenses. In some cases, people might have to visit with a psychiatrist and could even have to spend time at the hospital to see their mental health complications. These costs should also be factored into the value of a potential financial settlement.
The Timing of the Case
The timing of the case is going to play a major role size of a potential personal injury settlement. In general, the earlier an attorney gets involved, the larger the potential financial value of the case is going to be.
Furthermore, people who wait too long might end up not having a case at all. It is critical to know what the role that the statute of limitations is going to play in the value of any potential settlement. For example, in some states, individuals might only have a year to file a claim. In other states, individuals could have up to six years to file a claim. If individuals wait too long to file a claim, they might not have any case at all. It is critical to work with an attorney who understands the role that the statute of limitations is going to play in the case.
The Certainty of the Liability of the Defendant
Finally, the certainty of the liability of the defendant is going to play a role. If there is almost a 100 percent chance of the claim being successful if the case goes to trial, then this will increase the value of a potential pre-trial settlement. Nobody wants to go to trial if they know they are going to lose, so they will be willing to settle for more. On the other hand, if the case is more of a coin flip, then the financial settlement will be reduced. It is critical to work with an attorney who knows how to shift the case in favor of his or her client.
The Quality of the Attorney
Finally, the quality of the personal injury attorney is also going to influence the size of your potential financial settlement. When you are looking for a lawyer, it is important to look for a legal professional who has experience dealing with personal injury cases. This includes not only reviewing any and all applicable medical records but evaluating accident reports as well incident investigations.
Be sure that you work with an attorney who has the time to provide your attention with the case that it deserves. When you work with the right attorney, you place yourself in the best position possible for a successful outcome in your personal injury case.
