What You Should Know About Motor Vehicle Accident Settlements
The thought of being involved in a motor vehicle accident and needing a motor vehicle accident settlement is something that many people might worry about. You may realize that this type of accident can be detrimental to your life.
It could result in injuries that make it harder than ever to provide for a family, you may see medical bills start to pile up, and the like. It can disrupt your life in a major way.
That is why most people hope that they are never involved in a motor vehicle accident. And we hope that as well!
However, if you want to be prepared for something that could happen or if you have been injured in a car accident, you need to know how motor vehicle accident settlements work.
Obtaining Compensation is a Complex Process
It is not as easy as saying that you were involved in an accident and you deserve compensation. We all wish it would be that easy, but it is simply not the case.
There are several ways in which you can get compensation, and every detail about the accident has to be considered before any type of accident settlement is given to a person.
Depending upon the circumstances of the accident, there are several ways in which a person can make a claim. For example:
- They can opt for a fault or tort-based claim which is best when the other party was at fault. This other at-fault party could be another driver, auto manufacturer, an owner of a vehicle or other party.
- Accident Benefits are awarded through your own policy and are meant to help you when you have been injured in an accident, whether this was your fault or not. These types of benefits may require that you work with a lawyer to ensure that you are getting all those that you deserve…working on your own could mean that you are losing out on compensation that you truly deserve.
- Disability benefits are offered to those who have become disabled due to an auto accident and they may be short term or long term depending upon the situation.
What Type of Settlement Can You Get?
When a person has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, they may be wondering just what type of settlement can they get? In other words, how much can they get for being involved in this accident?
There is no clear number that a person can get. There are several factors that are going to play into the settlement amount that you are given. For example:
- The type of claim that you are filing
- The negligence factors that are present in this case
- The nature of the damages that have been caused
- The extent of the damages that you have suffered
Each case is going to be different as there is no one size fits all rules that a person can expect to see.
What Types of Damages Can you Sue for?
For those who have been involved in a car accident and are looking to sue the person that was responsible, there are several types of damages that they can opt to sue for. These include:
- The expenses associated with your medical care including any rehabilitation services
- Future treatments that you will need for your health
- Lost wages
- Decreased capacity to work
- Disability and/or disfigurement
- The cost of having to have someone with you to tend to your needs
- Mental anguish that you have suffered
- The effect of this injury on your close relationships and well being
- The pain and suffering that you have dealt with
Benefits You May Be Entitled To
Also remember that your insurance and with the way in which the area is set up to deal with car accidents, there are accident benefits that you may be able to get based on your accident.
These benefits are provided to those who are injured are often based upon the degree of the injury.
For example, when it comes to medical and rehabilitation benefits, a person with minor injuries can qualify for up to $3,500 in coverage, while those injuries that are considered catastrophic could result in up to $50,000 in medical benefits or even up to $1 million.
Other benefits that can be collected upon if the situation calls for it includes:
- Income replacement benefits that are given to those who have an injury that prevents them from working and earning income. It is meant to cover a portion of the income that you have lost and the payments of this will total 70% of your gross income with a $400 maximum per week.
- The non-earner benefit is given to those who do not qualify for income replacement benefits. It is meant for those who are at least 16 years old and who was a full-time student or recent graduation without employment at the time of the car accident.
- Caregiver benefits are optional, but they are meant to be for those who are a primary caregiver to children and if this car accident were to keep you from your duties, it is meant to help you if you are unable to give this care.
- Death and funeral benefits are also given to cover funeral expenses. This payment can be anywhere from $6,000 up to $8,000. In addition, it can give up to $25,000 to a spouse or dependents.
How to Get the Best Settlement
When you have been injured in an accident, then you are going to be worried about getting the best settlement that you can get. It is best that you work with a lawyer to determine what you may be eligible to get. Just how is this determined?
Lawyers will take into consideration your injuries and how this accident happened, and who was at fault. Knowing this information, a figure can be formulated that is meant to compensate you for whatever injuries, pain and suffering, lost income and the like that you have lost.
When you work with a lawyer on this issue, you are going to find that they will look at several aspects of your case, including:
- Investigating the fault of the accident
- Combing through your policies to determine what types of benefits you may be eligible for
- Will work to ensure that your rights are upheld
- Help with negotiating with insurance companies as they have been known to take advantage of those who are making claims
- Help to calculate the damages that you deserve
- Help you decide whether a settlement is too low and then how to counteroffer on your behalf
- Prepare your case for court if the settlement is never one that you agree to.
For those who have been involved in a car accident, Conte Jaswal is here to help you. We have worked with hundreds of people before to get them the compensation and settlements that are best for them. We can help you as well.
We offer a free consultation to see what we can do for you, so be sure to reach out to us. No one should have to take a lower settlement than what they deserve when they have been involved in a car accident.
Contact us today for a FREE Consultation.
