This is a question that comes up often by those who have been in a car accident caused by someone else.  First off, it is extremely important to note that no two cases are alike.  There are many differences in cases: different insurance companies, different adjusters, different drivers, different injuries, different property damage, different jurisdictions, the list goes on. 

It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to accurately estimate what your case is worth as soon as it happens.  For there to even be a case, you need to have been injured in the car accident.  The greater the damage to vehicles in the accident, the easier it is to find greater personal injury.  And, you can’t just say you are injured and expect to have a valuable case.  It needs to be proven with medical records.  In other words, if you have been hurt in a car accident, you shouldn’t try to tough it out and not go to a doctor.  It is extremely important to go to the hospital or a doctor as soon as possible. Your injuries must be documented by going to the hospital or doctor after you’ve been injured in a car accident.  Otherwise, the insurance company will not likely believe you’ve been injured.

The amount of your medical bills and the amount of time you’ve spent going to doctors, therapy and other appointments are also important factors in determining the value of your car accident case.  “Pain and suffering” gets established when we can prove that you incurred a large amount of medical bills over a long period of time from and after the accident.

There are also what we call “aggravating factors.”  For example, if the at-fault driver was arrested for drinking and driving or ran from the scene of the accident, your case is likely more valuable as a result of the at-fault driver’s punitive conduct.

At Dayson & Shalabi Law Firm, we want you to focus on getting better after your accident while we handle all of the hassles that come with dealing with the insurance companies.  If you have any questions about a car accident you have been involved in, please call us at 803-973-0304 or 843-388-3368 to see if we can help.