You want to know what really determines the value of a car accident case.
Is it the damage to your car? Was it the visit to the emergency room?
Neither of those things.
The single biggest factor that determines how much a case is worth is long-term injuries.
You see car wrecks cause long-term injuries more often than people realise. And when those injuries continue to pop up month after month year after year… they can dramatically impact a legal claim.
Long-term injuries equal bigger medical bills. They equal missed days of work. They equal a decreased quality of life.
All of these factors serve to increase the value of a case.
Let’s dive into…
What You Need To Know:
- Why Long-Term Injuries Have More Weight
- Common Lasting Injuries From Car Accidents
- Injury Duration Correlation To Case Value
- Increase Your Case Value With Proper Evidence
Why Long Term Injuries Have More Weight
When determining how much a case is worth, insurance companies and courts consider many different factors.
The severity of an injury and how long it lasts is one of them.
Here’s why…
A minor injury that lasts for a couple of weeks may only be worth a few thousand dollars. But, when injuries require lifelong treatment, surgery or rehabilitation then your case enters a whole new stratosphere.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in 2022 there were over 2.6 million people that visited the emergency room due to injuries suffered from a car crash. Many of these people go on to suffer from chronic injuries that affect their daily life.
This is why having the right legal team behind you is so important.
By hiring an auto accident attorney after a car wreck you can ensure that all long-term damages are identified and accounted for when settling or going to trial.
Many accident victims try to handle these types of claims on their own and end up settling their claim too soon.
Leaving thousands of dollars on the table.
Common Lasting Injuries From Car Accidents
Car wrecks come with many different types of injuries.
Some injuries heal fairly quickly with time and rest. Other injuries change a person’s life forever.
The injuries that carry the most weight in a legal case are:
- Traumatic brain injuries can create long-term effects to memory, concentration and even emotional control. TBI’s typically require years of treatment.
- Spinal cord injuries can cause partial or full paralysis. These types of injuries can cost millions of dollars over a person’s lifetime.
- Chronic back and neck pain may start out as what some may consider a “minor” injury. Unfortunately, injuries such as whiplash and herniated discs often lead to chronic problems that require long term maintenance.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder Mental injuries are every bit as painful and debilitating as physical injuries. Anxiety, depression and PTSD caused by a car wreck can limit a person’s day to day activities.
Long-term injuries have the ability to increase the value of your case due to their required medical treatment, loss of income and reduction in quality of life.
Injury Duration Correlation To Case Value
Here’s a little secret most people don’t know about car accident claims.
The longer your injury persists, the more your case is worth.
Insurance companies and courts calculate damage based off of two categories.
Economic damage and non-economic damage.
Economic damages include any bills or financial losses you incur due to being injured.
Non-economic damages include compensation for pain and suffering along with how the injury affects your daily life.
When an injury is determined to be long-term both of these categories rise.
Take a look at these two scenarios:
John went to his doctor to be checked out after being involved in a car accident. The doctor found that John had sustained a soft tissue injury that would take roughly 8 weeks to heal.
His medical bills were $3,500. He missed two weeks of work.
John’s total case would probably be worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000 to $15,000.
Now let’s look at Jane.
Jane went to her doctor after her car accident. She also suffered from a soft tissue injury. However, this injury required surgery and physical therapy.
Not only that, but Jane’s injury ended up affecting her ability to continue working.
Jane will probably receive a settlement worth 6-figures.
Research actually shows that every year there are about 2 million people that suffer an injury from a motor vehicle accident.
Of those 2 million people…. they reported suffering from permanent injuries.
Can you imagine the impact that has on their daily life?
This is why proper documentation of your injury is so important.
The more you can prove that you are going to have injuries in the future, the more valuable your case is.
Every doctor visit, therapy session and day of work missed should be carefully documented.
Increase Your Case Value With Proper Evidence
Alright, so how does someone make sure that their long-term injuries are going to be fully valued by insurance companies?
It starts with proof.
Every successful auto accident lawyer builds their case around rock-solid evidence. You need to start keeping records on everything related to your injury.
Let’s take a look.
Medical Records
Doctors notes, prescriptions, therapy, surgeries. You name it. If it’s related to your injury, make sure you have a record of it.
Insurance companies are going to try and use any gap in treatment as a way to decrease the value of your claim.
Medical Opinion
During the course of your treatment, you should ask your doctor to fill out a medical opinion.
Essentially this is your doctor providing testimony to how your injuries will impact you for the rest of your life.
Something that can really help to increase your settlement amount.
Financial Records
Not being able to work, loss of income, and any out of pocket medical expenses you have incurred should be compiled and added to your total case value.
Again, if it’s financial damage that you’ve incurred as a result of being injured… it can be used to pay your settlement.
Personal Impact
Things such as how your injury has affected your ability to do daily tasks, spend time with your children, or even suffer from mental trauma like anxiety or depression.
Document everything….
Insurance companies are a business at the end of the day. They try to pay injured victims as little as possible.
If you don’t have your long-term injuries properly documented then you become susceptible to low-ball offers.
Hiring an attorney right away can help prevent you from settling your claim too early.
The Takeaway…
Long-term injuries change people’s lives.
They should also change the value of your case.
If you’re injured…
Take care of your injuries, document everything, and seek legal guidance immediately.
It’s the only way to ensure you receive every penny you deserve.
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