Personal Injury Lawyer
After a personal injury accident, a personal injury lawyer is well aware that one of the first things victims want to know from a lawyer is the potential value of their legal claim. However, several factors must be considered first. A personal injury claim is filed by an individual who has suffered physical, emotional, or psychological harm due to the negligence or wrongdoing of another party.
Evaluating the Evidence
When determining the value of a personal injury claim, gathering as much evidence as possible will be necessary. This can include medical records, photographs, witness statements, and expert testimony. A lawyer will carefully assess the available evidence to identify the severity of the injuries, the extent of the liable party’s negligence, and any potential contributory negligence on the part of the injured party. Contributory negligence refers to situations where the injured party may have been partially responsible for the accident, which could reduce the compensation awarded.
Assessing the Damages
When valuing the legal claim, a lawyer will begin to assess the financial impact of the injury on the victim. Typically, there are two primary ways to classify damages: economic and non-economic. Economic damages encompass quantifiable financial losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. The lawyer will consider past expenses and any future costs, including ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, and lost earning capacity. Accurately projecting these costs may require the assistance of medical experts, occupational therapists, or economists. Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are more subjective and difficult to quantify. They may include pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium. To determine the value of these damages, a lawyer may refer to previous similar cases to see how juries have awarded compensation for non-economic damages. In some cases, an expert psychologist or psychiatrist may be consulted to assess the emotional and psychological impact of the injury on the individual.
Understanding State and Federal Laws
Working with an experienced local lawyer is imperative as they will consider all relevant statutes, regulations, and case law when determining the case’s value. For example, some jurisdictions may have damage caps, which limit the amount of compensation that can be awarded for certain types of damages. In such cases, the lawyer must ensure the claim is appropriately valued within the constraints of the applicable legal framework.
Determining the Case Outcome
When meeting with a lawyer, they will carefully value the case details to understand the likelihood that the case will produce a positive outcome. A lawyer must weigh the strength of the available evidence and the claim’s merits against the possible defenses that the liable party may raise. This requires understanding the nuances of personal injury law and experience in litigating similar cases.
Settlement Negotiations
When a lawyer has determined that the case’s value is ample enough to pursue legal action, their negotiation skills will play an integral role in receiving the compensation victims deserve. An experienced lawyer will use their knowledge of the case, the applicable law, and the potential for success at trial to negotiate a fair settlement with the responsible party or their insurance company. In many instances, reaching a negotiated settlement can save time and resources compared to pursuing the case in court.
Valuing a personal injury claim can be a complex process, one that can be multifaceted. Because of this, a lawyer will be necessary to evaluate several present factors. Gathering and reviewing relevant evidence, assessing the financial impact of the injury, taking into account any applicable legal constraints, and evaluating the likelihood of success at the trial all contribute to determining the value of a personal injury claim.