Car Accident Claim: What's the Average Settlement for A Bodily Injury?

Bodily injuries can and do happen to anyone involved in a serious vehicle accident. In fact, it is common for victims to have more than one substantial injury. Bodily injuries refer to physical damage caused to a person's body but might also be referred to as physical injury. If you or someone you know has recently been injured in an accident like this and needs help putting the pieces of your life back together, you may need the support of an experienced personal injury lawyer to guide you through the legal process.

If someone else caused an accident due to negligence, such as driving under the influence, falling asleep at the wheel, or distracted driving, it falls to you to take your case to the next level by getting support for your injury claim.

Understanding Serious Bodily Injuries

Many different factors will influence the average bodily injury settlement for a car accident, including whether or not you have sustained more than one injury and the severity of those different injuries. Serious bodily injury can include things, such as broken bones, TBIs, concussions, paralysis, and spinal cord damage. In addition, other examples could include disfigurement or lifelong scarring.

Problems like internal bleeding, broken bones and fractures, abrasions, bruises, lacerations, and impairment of the function of a bodily organ or limb can also influence car accident victims. This is why it is so important to get medical attention as soon as possible after a serious accident.

Not knowing the full scope of your injuries could mean that it is more likely that you accept a settlement amount from an insurance company that is not in line with your true injuries. You need to have a full understanding of the medical conditions you have been diagnosed with as a result of the accident and feel confident in understanding the lifelong impact of paying for and treating these injuries.

If you have severe disfigurement or have a loss of limb, for example, it might be impossible for you to ever go back to work and these factors must be considered when determining the average bodily injury settlement. It is also possible that a settlement provided by a car insurance company does not cover the full scope of your injuries.

Compensation Claims for Bodily Injury

You can sue at-fault drivers who do not have bodily injury liability insurance for pain and suffering, lost wages, property damage, and medical expenses. Although the average bodily injury claim in many cases is between $15,000 and $18,000, it will depend on the specifics of your case.

An individual hurt in an accident could suffer from an injury that causes them pain for only a few months, whereas, another car accident victim might be looking at more substantial lifelong injury problems. These can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars or even seven figures.

How Do Car Accident Settlements Work?

If you are injured and someone else is at fault for your accident, you could be entitled to compensation, but you cannot start the road to recovery or path to compensation until your lawyer has gathered all of your medical bills and records. You should start by creating a spreadsheet of the different billed charges and the amounts still owed.

You might also talk to your doctor about care that will be required for you in the near future as well as in the far future. One of the most difficult aspects of most personal injury cases is putting a price tag on how much your injuries are worth. Personal injury lawyers who have years of experience will be able to do this from settling past cases and can help to use the services of expert witnesses and others in their network when they need assistance.

Car accident settlements, however, are not simple at all. An experienced attorney can make a world of difference in explaining the key factors to you and in guiding you through the process as well as when it comes time to fight for these benefits in court. An experienced personal injury lawyer might be able to make a compelling enough case that the car insurance company is willing to settle outside of court. But at the same time, you might also want a personal injury lawyer who has extensive experience in going to court such that if settlement negotiations fail or do not fully compensate you for your injuries, you know you have a chance in litigation.

How Do I Get the Most Out of My Car Accident Settlement?

Many of the highest car accident settlements have several things in common. First of all, they involve serious and life changing injuries. Furthermore, the next step is for your lawyer to preserve any evidence associated with the accident, such as data recorders, videos of the accident, eyewitness statements, police reports, and more. You can also increase your chances of recovering a big settlement in your car accident case by following up with any medical treatment that you need.

The last thing you want to worry about is the other side of the case arguing that you did not attend all of your medical appointments and are, therefore, not as seriously injured as you claim. Make sure that your doctor documents all potential injuries you have sustained even if they seem relatively minor immediately after the accident. If new symptoms emerge, continue to keep the doctor updated about this so that they can note it in your medical records.

You will not be able to recover for a claim if your doctor doesn’t have this noted in your medical records.

Hire An Attorney

One of the best ways to increase your average bodily injury payout is to retain an experienced personal injury lawyer who will fight hard on your behalf. Without experience, you could make a mistake in your case that exposes you to accept a settlement offer that blocks you from the full and fair compensation you deserve.

If you do not have the experience to know what a fair settlement offer is, you could find yourself having to pay out of pocket for medical expenses years into the future. Do not leave hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table. Instead, consider hiring the services of an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after you have been hurt.       

Your lawyer can make the case for how the injuries you have sustained didn’t just interrupt your present life, but have the potential to change the course of your entire future. They can show how your injuries affect one another, too, and make it difficult for you to enjoy the mobility or lifestyle you had prior to the accident.

Do I Have to Accept a Settlement Offer?

If this is the first time you’re working through a personal injury claim, you probably don’t know if the offer presented by the insurance company is fair or not. The pile of medical bills you already have gives you a good picture of what expenses have already been incurred, but how do you calculate the future? This is where your doctor’s diagnosis and your lawyer’s involvement can make a big difference.

Most insurance companies are hoping that you’ll accept the settlement offer as final the first time it’s sent across to you. They’re counting on lack of knowledge or the promise of money now as a way to make the entire claim go away—and quickly. But what if that’s not in your best interest? As a lawyer experienced with the average payout for a bodily injury claim can tell you, there are many different factors influencing a fair settlement amount and you might need an attorney to help you showcase those to the insurance carrier.

Your lawyer will evaluate all the aspects of your case once you start working together. While it’s impossible to pinpoint an exact number, a lawyer can tell you a typical range for an average payout for a bodily injury claim based on all the facts of your case. This gives you a baseline so that when a settlement offer comes across you can make the determination about whether it compensates you enough for bills you have now and bills you have in the future.

Empowering yourself with information and an advocate is one of the best things you can do when looking for the average payout for a bodily injury claim as a baseline to see if you might be entitled for more. Your lawyer can speak up as to when it looks like the insurance carrier is attempting to minimize your claim or your injuries so that you can fight back and push for a settlement amount that helps you move on with your life.

Ready to get support for your injury claim? Contact our offices today to learn more about how to file a personal injury claim for a payout for bodily injury. No victim should have to pay the price of expenses and injuries caused by another person’s negligence and that’s the attitude we bring to the table on your behalf.