One of the first questions a lawyer is asked by a motorcycle accident victim is, “How much is my case worth?” This is a legitimate question. After all, no one wants to put the time, effort, and anxiety into pursuing a case when the outcome is going to be less than a week’s wages. However, when you ask a lawyer this question, his answer will ultimately give you insight into whether or not he’s a reliable attorney. In fact, it doesn’t matter how much he may say, if he gives you any monetary value, the thing to do is to walk away.
Why? Because he’s promising you something that he may not be able to deliver.
Get a Free Evaluation of Your Case Now!
Factors That Affect a Claim’s Worth
The truth of the matter is, when it comes to personal injury claims, there is no set amount of money that any lawyer can promise. Therefore, when you ask an attorney how much your claim is worth, the only truthful answer he can give is an average of his past cases that may have been similar to yours. However, without knowing all the facts of your case, there’s no way to even speculate how much of a settlement your particular case may be awarded.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be completely left in the dark on whether or not to pursue your claim. Rather than manipulate you by making promises he can’t keep, a reliable attorney will sit you down and discuss the factors of a claim that dictate compensation. These factors include:
- Injury severity. When pursuing an injury claim, the main focus of the claim should be to compensate you for the medical costs associated with your injuries. If your injuries are minor and required little treatment, your settlement will be smaller than if your injuries were severe.
- Liability. Tennessee is a modified-comparative negligence state. Therefore, the percentage of fault is important to determine how much compensation you’re entitled to. Depending on how the judge or jury determines fault, you may be awarded 100% of the designated settlement amount, or you could be found liable for your own injuries and awarded zero percent of the settlement.
- Pain and suffering. In addition to physical injuries, a motorcycle accident claim can also factor in emotional stress and quality of life damages. Although difficult to prove and hard to categorize for monetary value, these damages can range from hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars depending on their outcome.
- Recovery expenses. The easiest calculation for part of your settlement deals with your recovery expenses. These expenses include hospital bills, necessary physical therapy expenses, and any long-term care that may be required. Since these expenses have an actual price tag, they can be added up to create a good starting point for determining your case’s overall worth.
- Recovery losses. Recovery losses refer to monetary, emotional, and life-altering damages that resulted as a direct consequence of your injuries. For example, lost wages for not being able to work, or lost relationships due to mood swings brought on by accident-related post-traumatic stress disorder.
We Value Clients Over Promises
If you have questions or concerns about whether you should pursue an injury claim, don’t allow yourself to be taken in by a lie or exaggeration. The last thing you need is to have an attorney promise you something he can’t deliver. Contact our Motorcycle accident lawyers in Franklin to see how we value you more than the prospect of your business. We want to secure the best settlement for your claim, but we won’t manipulate you with ridiculous expectations just to secure a commission. You and your claim are worth more than that. Call us today to schedule your FREE case review and see how we can help you build a strong and viable claim.
| Related Links: |
