Calculating the full costs of an injury is a complex process, and many victims underestimate how much they've truly lost after an accident. While each case is different, there are a few general rules to help you total your losses and calculate how much your case may be worth.
Estimating the Damages in Your Florida Injury Case
The first category of losses in an injury case is called economic losses, or the out-of-pocket costs you have endured directly because of the accident. These include the costs of past medical treatment, future medical expenses, property damage, lost time from work, lost future lost income, and other expenses.
In addition to economic damages, the value of your case may be increased or decreased depending on:
- Your pain and suffering. An injury lawsuit allows victims to recover an additional amount for severe or permanent suffering. Called non-economic damages, these may include compensation for emotional suffering, inconvenience, loss of companionship of a family member, lost enjoyment of life, or permanent disability.
- The degree of negligence. If a person or entity showed extreme disregard for safety, you may be able to recover punitive damages to punish the wrongdoer.
- Insurance limits. Most injury claims are paid by insurance companies on behalf of the guilty party. In car accident cases, the amount you can recover depends on the available amounts of insurance coverage, including bodily injury and uninsured motorist coverage.
- Your condition. An insurer may devalue your claim if you've been involved in previous accidents or suffered prior injuries to the same part of the body. In order to get maximum compensation, your attorney has to gather evidence that clearly shows how the accident led to your injury.
- Your liability for your injuries. Florida’s injury statutes rely on a comparative fault system, which allows victims to recover payment even if they are partly to blame for an injury. However, the amount you recover is reduced according to your percentage of fault.
If you've been injured through someone else’s negligence, we can help you get the compensation you deserve while you take the necessary time to heal. Simply fill out the quick contact form on this page today to schedule your free case evaluation.
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