A skilled personal injury lawyer will help you maximize your compensation by assessing all the damages you have suffered, including future costs and lost working potential. You will need to gather and preserve as much evidence as possible. This includes photos of the scene, medical records, witness statements, police reports, and other relevant documents. Here are some additional steps to take to build a solid case.
Gather Evidence
Taking steps to gather evidence and document damage immediately after an accident can help your personal injury attorney maximize the outcome of your claim. This is particularly important for physical evidence, such as photos of the accident scene and your injuries.
A lawyer will also need copies of all medical bills and records about your injuries. A lawyer will review these documents to determine an appropriate dollar value for your pain and suffering.
The damages awarded in a personal injury case are based on a formula considering many factors. Your lawyer will assess the total value of your claims and include future costs, like medical care and lost working potential. They will also take into consideration any punitive damages, if applicable.
Hire an Experienced Lawyer
An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you determine an approximate compensation estimate during your free consultation and avoid settling for a sum far below what you are owed. Experienced personal injury and car accident lawyers understand the costs of an accident and what you and your family will experience regarding future expenses and loss of income due to the injuries.
Insurance companies use various tactics to convince accident victims that their claims are worth less than they are. Still, experienced attorneys can help level the playing field and negotiate on your behalf. Claimants with attorneys on their side receive higher settlements overall. Contact an attorney today to get started with a free consultation. Most personal injury attorneys offer a free initial consultation to new clients.
Understand Your Damages
The amount of damages you are owed is one of the main factors in a personal injury case. To maximize your compensation, it is essential to understand how damages are calculated.
Economic damages, including medical bills and property damage, are relatively easy to calculate. Your attorney can help you get these reimbursed.
Non-economic damages, which include pain and suffering, loss of consortium, emotional distress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are more complicated to determine. Your lawyer can help you gather evidence to demonstrate your physical and psychological impact.
Keeping a journal of your struggles to perform daily activities, the severity of your symptoms, and how they affect relationships with loved ones are valuable tools for documenting your non-economic damages. Your lawyer can use these to argue for the maximum amount of compensation.
Consider Future Damages
When filing a personal injury claim, you must consider all the damages you will need compensation for. This includes past expenses, such as medical bills and property damage, and future losses, including lost income, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
Past expenses are straightforward to calculate and can be supported by medical records, repair receipts, and documentation of when you were out of work. However, proving the value of future costs is more complex and often requires expert witnesses.
An expert witness can help establish a fair value for your future pain and suffering. They can also attest to the severity of your injuries and predict how they will impact your life in the future, such as a loss of earning capacity.
Don’t Rush to Accept a Settlement
While getting a lump sum of money as soon as possible after an accident is tempting, you should resist the urge. It may take time to reach a fair compensation amount, so it is important to hire a personal injury lawyer to ensure your rights are fully protected throughout the settlement process.
It is also vital to consider future damages when negotiating a settlement. This includes any additional medical expenses that could be incurred in the future and any lost wages due to your injuries. Your lawyer can help calculate these losses by presenting evidence, such as invoices, receipts, and medical records.
Lastly, staying off social media during your claim is crucial. Claims adjusters can use your social media posts against you and decrease your compensation amount.
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