How Much Compensation Should You Ask For?

If you’ve been injured in a car crash that wasn’t your fault, you’re entitled to seek compensation. But how much? While there’s no magic formula to find the exact dollar amount you deserve and can win if the case goes to court, some factors affect your case more than others.

Generally, if your personal injury case has one or more of the following characteristics, you’re more likely to win a higher compensation amount. Consult with an experienced lawyer to learn more.

  1. Your Injuries Are Severe

Generally, the more severe your injuries are, the more compensation you’re entitled to. This is because severe injuries:

  • Cause you more pain
  • Need more medical treatment, which is expensive
  • Tend to last longer
  • Affect how you live your life

The more pain you’re in, medical treatment you need, and time you spend in recovery, the more compensation you deserve from the other driver’s insurance company.

  1. Your Injury Is Permanent

If the injury you have will cause long-term or permanent damage, you’re entitled to more compensation for your loss of function. For example, if you have tissue scarring that will forever limit your range of motion, you may need more compensation than if you’d broken a bone, which would eventually heal.

Similarly, if your injury permanently disfigures you in some way, you’d be entitled to more compensation than a person who simply needed a bandage for a while.

  1. Your Injury Affects Your Daily Life

If your injury prevents you from doing the tasks you normally do, you may be entitled to more compensation than you would otherwise. For example, if your injury causes you to miss work while you heal, you’d need to add the amount of lost wages into your total amount of compensation.

Additionally, if your injury makes it harder to function in normal tasks like getting dressed or making a meal, the extra time, effort and services you require would also increase your total amount of compensation.

Lastly, if your injury made you miss out on opportunities or experiences that you should have been able to go to, like a work conference or a family milestone, that may affect your compensation.

  1. Your Injury Causes You Significant Distress

Some injuries leave more than just physical scars. If your injury has caused you emotional damage as well, that can raise the amount of compensation you’re owed. For example, perhaps the injury disfigured you and causes you significant embarrassment, or perhaps you now have significant anxiety around driving because of the car crash that hurt you.

Proving emotional distress can be difficult, but it can be done by an experience attorney. Speak with a qualified lawyer to learn more.

  1. Your Injury Was Completely the Fault of the Other Party

If you share some of the blame in your injury, you may not get any compensation amount in Maryland or the District of Columbia. However, if the car crash that hurt you is obviously the fault of the other person, you may be entitled to full compensation.

In order to prove who was at fault, you’ll need strong evidence. Make sure you consult with an experienced attorney about your case.

How much compensation you should seek greatly depends on the type and circumstances of your injury. The factors above will affect how much you’re owed, but don’t try to figure this out on your own. The legal process is complex, and you’ll need an experienced guide to help you decide exactly how much to ask for.

If you’re in our service area, consider reaching out to The Jaklitsch Law Group. We’re a highly qualified group of nationally acclaimed personal injury attorneys, and we can help you navigate the legal process. Contact us today to get started.

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