Monetary Value of a Personal Injury Case
The value of your personal injury case depends on the quality of the evidence and the losses your accident and injuries caused. There is no standard settlement table, but certain factors can influence the potential value of your compensation, which may include both economic and non-economic damages. These factors can include:
- The severity and duration of your injuries
- Their impacts on your day-to-day activities
- The types and costs of required medical treatments
- Time off work and lost current and future earnings
Factors Affecting Your Injury Compensation
Depending on your case specifics, you may be able to seek two main types of damages, as long as you file your claim within the two-year timeline outlined in 42 Pa.C.S. §5524.
Economic damages cover losses such as:
- Medical and rehabilitation expenses
- Future care needs
- Home modifications
- Lost income
- Decreased earning ability
Non-economic damages address the human effects of your injuries, such as pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. If you’ve filed a wrongful death case on behalf of a loved one, the state’s wrongful death and survival laws add additional recoverable categories as per 42 Pa. C.S. §8301.
Pennsylvania follows modified comparative negligence laws described in 42 Pa. C.S. §7102, which divide responsibility for an accident between all liable parties. However, even if you were partly at fault, you can still seek compensation as long as your determined share of responsibility is 50% or lower. Your degree of fault will proportionately reduce your damages by the same percentage.
Seek Expert Advice for an Accurate Valuation
Other key factors which could affect the value of your case include:
- Insurance limits
- The liable parties’ available assets
- The number of responsible parties involved.
Seeking legal counsel as soon as possible after you’re injured allows your lawyer to secure valuable evidence to support your claim. They’ll use medical records, visual evidence, witness statements, employment and wage statements, and expert testimony to prove your losses.
No personal injury attorney can guarantee you a settlement amount, but a skilled one will carefully evaluate your unique case to estimate your damages as accurately as possible. They will also assess liability and investigate all available insurance benefits before sharing a potential settlement range.