How Your Houston Car Accident Attorney Decides How Much to Ask For
If you have been in a car accident and feel that you have a legitimate reason to seek a Houston car accident attorney one of your questions will most likely be about the amount of money you deserve. This is always a good question but sometimes difficult to answer, especially at the very beginning of the claim. Obviously, as attorneys we look to get you as much as possible to compensate you for your pain and suffering. There are usually five factors in the equation to determine how much a claim is worth:
• Severity of the Injuries
• Medical Documentation & Medical Bills
• Severity of the Collision
• Pre-Existing Injuries
• Amount of Insurance & Number of Claimants
The severity of your injuries will, of course, be the first factor taken under consideration. If you have broken bones, neck or back injuries that could lead to chronic conditions later in life, then we need to calculate this into the suit amount. Medical bills incurred as a result of the accident will be part of the total amount, as will any projected future medical expenses that will be incurred as a result of the injuries suffered in the accident. Medical documentation will be required by the court to solidify your claims.
Severity of the collision generally refers to damage done to your vehicle, the vehicle of the other party or parties, and any property that may have been damaged such as telephone poles or fences. The state or city will charge for the damage to a utility pole and you will want to make sure the responsible party pays for this damage. Any owners of private property destroyed will no doubt want compensation also.
Pre-existing injuries are examined very closely by insurance company’s, their adjusters, and their attorneys, so if you say your neck is hurt you will need to have medical documentation to prove it. Realistically, you will also have to examine the amount of insurance coverage the responsible party has available. There are instances where property and assets may be attached after a judgment is obtained for severe damages, but state laws may prohibit or hamper the enforcement of the judgment. That’s where a Houston car accident attorney can help you and other claimants who were involved in the accident.
Uncategorized | attorney_houston January 6, 2010
By roulettspel, January 8, 2010 @ 5:55 pm
Great idea, thanks for this tip!