Evaluating an Injury: How Much is My Case Worth?
When evaluating a potential settlement on a personal injury case the most important factors are the type of injury and the extent of the injury’s severity. The type and severity of your injury is what determines the cost of the medical attention you will need and that cost is what the first thing any insurance adjuster will look at during any settlement negotiations. So let’s take a deeper look at the different categories of injury and what that may mean for your case.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Essentially, insurance adjusters will put your injury into one of two categories, soft tissue injuries or hard tissue injuries. Soft tissue injuries are less severe, sprains and strains of muscle and soft connective tissue. As you can probably surmise, being less serious and quicker to heal, these injuries tend to end up on the lower end of the settlement spectrum. That does not mean you shouldn’t still consult with an injury attorney because every case is different and how and why your injury occurred also has a great bearing on your case.
Hard Tissue Injuries
Hard tissue injuries are more serious and therefore commonly garner a higher settlement. Hard tissue injuries include, but are not limited to: broken bones of any kind, separations, dislocations, ligament tears, head injuries, lacerations, and spine and vertebrae injuries.
Head or Brain Injuries
Anytime your claim is backed by medical evidence of how an injury has negatively impacted your life, it will increase the value of your claim. Head injuries in particular tend to add value to a claim because the long-term effects on the brain can change over time and that can have a severe impact on your quality of life and ability to earn income in the future. Insurance companies are more likely to try to settle quickly if they foresee building medical costs down the road. Since it’s difficult to determine how long the healing process will take with head injuries, it’s crucial to speak to an attorney before you agree to any settlement offers.
Spine or Vertebrae Injuries
Spinal and vertebrae injuries are also very serious and can often be long-term, nagging injuries that affect your quality of life and also your ability to work. Any injury that prevents you from working will increase your settlement because those lost wages will be taken into account during claim evaluations. For example, a construction worker may be out of work for a long period of time with any kind of back injury, and will most likely be entitled to compensation to cover the cost of lost wages and living expenses.
No matter the type or severity of your injury, you should always consult with an experienced accident attorney because every case is different and the only way to get the compensation you deserve is to seek the help of a professional. If you or someone you know was injured in an accident, call the law office of Robert Meissner at 916.863.2900 for a free case evaluation.
