If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you may wonder whether your injury is worth a settlement. You may wonder how much a personal injury lawyer will value your injuries. By choosing the right personal injury lawyer for you, your journey to settlement is made much smoother. Building a good relationship with your lawyer will allow you to decide the best outcome for you and your injuries as a team. The amount of money you receive in a personal injury settlement will vary depending on the kind of injuries you sustained in the accident. Some injuries will result in greater monetary awards than others. Below is a list of the top 5 injuries that generally receive the largest monetary awards.
- Spinal and neck injuries. According to WebMD spinal cord injuries can result in a loss of function, movement, or feeling. There are different types of spinal cord injuries: complete and incomplete. Living and managing life activities following a spinal cord injury can be challenging for accident victims. Many individuals experience changes to their lifestyles, may not be able to work in their former field, or may face a long rehabilitation and adjustment period. For this reason, spinal cord and neck injuries often result in greater monetary awards for victims.
- Traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injury can lead to memory difficulties, difficulty sleeping, mood changes, dizziness, and other cognitive effects. Head injuries tend to lead to greater loss of quality of life. Many insurance companies might be more likely to settle with individuals more quickly because not all the effects of traumatic brain injury are apparent immediately following an accident. Because some of the effects of traumatic brain injury can be difficult to diagnose, it is important to seek the help of a personal injury lawyer who can make sure that all important tests are performed.
- Amputations. Amputation can result in loss of function or changes to a person’s quality of life. The cost of rehabilitation and prosthesis over the course of a person’s life can be immense. Additionally, people who work in physical occupations may face being unable to work or to earn the same income. For these reasons, amputations can result in larger settlements or monetary awards.
- Disfigurement or scars. Scars, burns, or any other form of disfigurement can lead to a greater settlement. Scars can sometimes be treated with surgery or other dermatological treatments, but some forms of burns are permanent and cannot be treated. These treatments can sometimes be rather expensive when they are available. The emotional pain and suffering individuals experience from scarring and disfigurement can sometimes be great. Additionally, victims who work in fields where appearance is important may be able to prove that they will lose income due to their scars or disfigurement. If you would like to learn more about the arguments that can be made for disfigurement, you can learn more here.
- Broken bones or torn ligaments. Broken bones can lead to individual’s recovering more money in an injury settlement. Individuals with torn ligaments often receive monetary awards because of the painfulness of the injury.
Determining the value of any personal injury claim in Minneapolis, Minnesota can sometimes be difficult because your personal injury lawyer will need to calculate your lost earning potential ranging from weeks to months to a lifetime. Additionally, each case is unique. Contacting a personal injury lawyer is the first step to determining how much your personal injury claim is worth. Contact the Law Office of Martin T. Montilino today to receive a free initial consultation.