When you suffer injuries in a car crash or another type of accident, you may have a lot of questions. You may wonder if you can afford to hire an attorney, and you may wonder if you’ll ever recoup the costs of expensive medical bills and lost wages. The skilled personal injury lawyers at Peterson & Associates, P.C. believe the answer is yes to both questions. Every personal injury claim is different, and a settlement value depends on many factors, including the severity of your injuries, the type of medical treatment you need, your doctor’s recommendation for future treatment, and the time you’re out of work, so it’s almost always in your best interest to hire an attorney to handle your claim. Here, our Kansas City personal injury lawyers explain why it's important to obtain legal counsel and how having an attorney can impact your settlement.
How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help Your Claim
There are many benefits to hiring an attorney when you’ve been injured in an accident. Having someone on your side, advocating on your behalf, not only helps eliminate the stress of dealing with the legal system, it helps ensure your rights are protected. A personal injury attorney can help you with the following:
- Handle communication with the insurance company, insurance adjuster, and defense attorneys. They can help ensure you avoid making mistakes or making statements that can jeopardize your claim.
- Handle communication with medical providers and collection agencies who may begin calling you about unpaid bills. An attorney can help maximize your recovery by negotiating and reducing liens or claims for payment.
- Meet the statute of limitations and other deadlines for filing your claim to ensure your right to compensation.
- Determine liability. This usually involves proving the responsible party owed a duty of care to the injured person, breached that duty through negligence or misconduct, and the breach directly led to the injuries sustained.
- Determine the full amount of compensation you deserve, including all of your present medical bills and any you may have in the future.
- Conduct a thorough investigation of the accident. This involves gathering critical evidence, including medical records, photographs, witness statements, and all relevant documentation.
Why Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help Maximize Your Settlement Amount
Having a lawyer can help you manage your personal injury claim, and it can make a big difference in the amount of money you receive.
An attorney can’t predict or know specifically the exact amount of compensation for your claim. Because personal injury damages are different in each case, dollar amounts are merely estimates. However, there have been studies that show that hiring an attorney can significantly increase your settlement amount. Settlement values vary for many reasons, and no two cases are the same. That said, your lawyer will do their best to get you the best possible compensation.
Data from one study was gathered by sampling the largest 75 counties in America. The numbers were derived by dividing the total amount of money received by how many people filed a claim. Keep in mind that some people received less money, and some people received more. From the study, it was revealed that the median award amount was:
- Approximately $16,000 for car crashes
- Approximately $18,000 for dog bites and animal attacks
- Approximately $60,000 for slip and falls and premise liability
- Approximately $422,000 for medical malpractice
- Approximately $450,000 for product liability cases
The Advantages of Legal Representation
Another survey about personal injury compensation showed that hiring a personal injury attorney is the most critical step you can take to maximize your chances of obtaining compensation for your injuries. Of the people surveyed who had hired legal counsel, more than nine out of ten received a settlement or an award. The number was approximately half for those who handled their own claims.
Even though a personal injury attorney is usually paid 30 to 40% of the settlement amount, after subtracting the contingency fee, those surveyed received nearly three times more than those who did not hire a lawyer.
How Much Compensation: What’s Common in a Personal Injury Case?
In a study by Westlaw Edge, 745 federal personal injury cases that ended in a settlement were analyzed from 2013 – 2022. In those cases, the median settlement amount was approximately $75,000. However, it’s important to know that many federal personal injury plaintiffs did not receive that kind of compensation. In more than 40% of those 745 cases, federal personal injury plaintiffs received $5,000 or less.
What’s crucial to remember is that the specific circumstances of your claim or case and the severity of your injuries are the most important factors when compensation is being determined. It doesn’t matter what other people have received, what other judgements have been, or statistically what the median is.
Car Crashes: Settlement Examples
Settlements for car accidents can vary widely. It’s typical for an injured victim to see between $10,000 and $60,000; however, some victims may see much higher compensation. Here are some examples:
- Approximately $145,000 for a hit-and-run
- Approximately $225,000 for a car-bicycle accident
- Approximately $11 million for a traffic wrongful death case
- Approximately $1 million for a red light car accident
- Approximately $2 million for a commercial truck rear-end accident
Settlements for auto accident victims can rise into the millions; but the payouts can also be much smaller if the victim suffered minor injuries and there was less damage to the vehicles involved.
Hire Experience With Peterson & Associates, P.C.
According to studies and legal experts, accident victims who hire a personal injury lawyer typically receive more compensation for their injury claim than those who don’t. Often, the payout is three to four times higher. The attorneys at Peterson & Associates, P.C. have years of experience fighting for victims who’ve suffered injuries in an accident. We understand that when your life is turned upside down and you’re faced with expensive medical bills, you want and need excellent lawyers to advocate for you. Read our case results to learn how we have helped clients obtain fair compensation for their losses.