What Are You Really Owed After An Accident?
Brian O Sutter
Personal Injury
Those who are involved in an accident often find that they're facing a long road to recovery - a road that involves much more than they realize. In fact, while it's easy to focus on things like your physical or mental healing, the reality is that your financial recovery will play just as big of a role.
After being involved in an accident, one of the primary things that you'll need to focus on will be getting some kind of financial restitution for your injuries. But a common mistake that the injured make is to quickly accept the first offer that they're given by an insurance company. Settling makes sense, and when you're in need of money after an accident any kind of offer can seem like a good one.
But that's not always the case. In fact, many insurance companies offer settlement amounts that are far lower than what the injured person is really, truly owed. Because of this, it's worth taking a closer look at the numerous things that add up to what a real settlement offer should be.
With that in mind, here are the key things that impact what you might be owed.
- Medical Bills - Your medical costs are the obvious focus of a settlement offer. A fair settlement will include all relevant medical bills associated with your accident. However, it's also important to remember that future potential medical bills are worth considering as well. A fair offer will factor in the potential for future medical costs as dictated by your injuries and estimates from medical professionals.
- Property Damage - Insurance often covers property damage as well, and repairs on your personal property will usually be a key factor in deciding what you are really owed.
- Lost Wages - If you're injured, there's a good chance that you'll end up missing work. Personal injury settlements should include lost wage compensation, but they should also factor in the potential for future lost wages. If for example, you need a reconstructive surgery in a few months, the wages you'll miss out on during that recovery period should be considered.
- Stress And Mental Injury - These are much more nebulous factors, and aren't always factored into an out of court settlement. However, since they often play a role in the actual settlements that are awarded in a court, there's a good chance that a personal injury lawyer may argue for your right to these financial compensations.