Car accidents happen all the time, and in many cases, there may be a financial component included in the settlement for pain and suffering. While many other damages resulting from an accident can be proven with documentation that shows their monetary value, this can be far more difficult when trying to place a value on mental suffering and the pain you endured during the accident.
Determining an appropriate figure to place on a claim for pain and suffering might seem difficult for many people, but the experience of personal injury attorneys allows them to arrive at a figure much more easily. This can seem confusing or even overwhelming since you may not know how they got to a particular offer, so here is a deeper look at how the settlement offers are calculated, and what may be reasonable for your case.
What is Pain and Suffering?
Damages for pain and suffering are financial compensation intended to offset the pain and suffering that you endured as a result of the accident. These damages are considered non-economic and may vary in their calculation and limitations from state to state and from case to case.
What are the Factors for Determining an Award Amount?
There is no one single formula for arriving at an offer for pain and suffering, but you can often estimate and get a general idea by looking at the following:
- Total Medical Bills
- Severity Of Injuries
- Extent Of Injuries
- Length Of Recovery
Why Do Medical Bills Matter?
The medical bills are often the jumping-off point for most pain and suffering calculations. While not always the case, larger pain and suffering components are often coupled with far higher medical bills. Many locations use a multiplier system, so as an example if your medical bills were $3,000 you could expect anywhere from $3,000 to $15,000 as a pain and suffering component.
How the Severity and Extent of Injuries Matters
This factor helps to look at an expense for what it really is. If your $3,000 in medical bills were for chiropractor fees for a sore back, you can expect to recover less than if your $3,000 was for a CT scan of your skull to check for a possible traumatic brain injury.
The Length of Recovery
The length of recovery can factor in as well, with longer recovery periods often being leveraged for larger settlements. Long recoveries can also dramatically increase the medical bill component with rehabilitation and physical therapy costs being added in.
If You Believe You Have a Claim for Pain and Suffering
After an accident, if you were injured you may have a claim for pain and suffering compensation through the insurer for the at-fault party. Frequently, however, you will only get the best potential settlement or compensation decision by working with an experienced personal injury attorney. Not only will they have the experience and knowledge you need to build a strong claim, but they will act as your advocate the entire time. Contact our office today for legal assistance, we offer a free consultation.