How Much Is My Personal Injury Claim Worth?
If you've recently been in an accident in Missouri or Illinois due to someone else's negligence, such as a car wreck, slip and fall, or another personal injury incident, you are likely dealing with both personal and financial issues. It's highly likely your injuries have prevented you from working to your full potential. Coupled with the high cost of medical care in the United States, you could be looking at some large medical bills and no easy way to pay for them--all because of an accident that came about through no fault of your own.
The experienced St. Louis personal injury attorneys at Halvorsen Klote have helped thousands of people across the area with their personal injury cases. They work with every one of their clients to ensure that they get the best possible settlement, and understand that what you think you are entitled to receive for your injuries may not be what the insurance companies believe is a fair amount. Contact us today if you have any other St. Louis personal-injury questions or to discuss your recent St. Louis personal injury accident.
What Goes Into A Settlement
No two St. Louis personal injury claims are alike. While you may have seen news stories or lawyer advertisements touting huge settlements for accident victims, there are a lot of factors that influence what you can receive for a settlement offer. These include:
- Your medical expenses, including doctor's visits, rehabilitation costs, and potential ongoing treatment costs
- All property damage. This is most common in car accidents, but our firm has seen property damage claims in a large number of personal injury cases: for instance, a dog bite case may involve damage to clothing, or in accidents involving bicycles.
- Income lost due to your injuries. This includes time not spent working that was caused by your injury, as well as compensation in case your injuries mean that you can no longer adequately perform your duties at work.
- Pain and suffering. Usually, insurance companies will use "damage multipliers" to measure pain and suffering damages. This is one of the most subjective concepts in the law, and having a skilled personal injury attorney can help relate your feelings to a judge and jury.
- Emotional distress. Accidents are often very mentally harrowing experiences. It is not uncommon for you to experience depression, lose sleep, or have elevated stress or anxiety after being in an accident--and this can factor into any damages you might receive.
While these can all potentially improve your settlement amount, there are also factors that could negatively impact your potential award. Both Missouri and Illinois are what are known as "comparative fault" states. This means that courts can determine that, if both parties in an accident shared at least some of the blame for the accident, then their settlement or share of a jury award would be reduced to match how responsible they were. For example, if a jury authorizes a $200,000 award but at the same time says that a plaintiff was 25% responsible for their accident, then the plaintiff will only receive a $150,000 payment.
Find A St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer
The experienced personal injury lawyers at Halvorsen Klote understand that every St. Louis personal injury case is unique. A strategy that works for one client may not work for you and your case. Call us today at 877-51-HKLAW for a free consultation about your Missouri or Illinois personal injury case and how our firm can help you get the settlement or judgment that you deserve.
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