Whether you’ve been involved in a minor fender bender or a major accident, an injury caused by another party’s negligence or recklessness could result in a financial settlement. 

You’re probably asking yourself “How much money can I expect for a car accident settlement?” The short answer is that it depends on several factors. In this article, you’ll learn how a car accident claim is valued. To find out how much your case could be worth, contact our office today.

Settlement Statistics and How Settlements Are Calculated

A recent survey published by Forbes reported car accident victims receive an average settlement of around $23,000. This figure is an average across all injury cases in all 50 states. The reality is that a settlement can be as low as a couple of thousand dollars or reach into the millions. 

There are a lot of factors that determine how much a car accident case is worth, including: 

• Type and severity of your injuries
• Whether there is permanent damage
• How the injuries affect your lifestyle, family, and career
• Property damage and repair costs
• How much pain and suffering you experience
• Whether you are partially liable for the accident

Having a personal injury attorney on your side can result in a significantly higher settlement amount. According to The Insurance Research Council (IRC), car crash victims receive settlements that are 3.5 times higher when they have an attorney representing them. This difference is astronomical.  

 Types of Compensation Available in Personal Injury Claims

Your attorney will seek compensation for any applicable damages and negotiate with the insurance companies to argue for a settlement that’s as generous as possible. Depending on your damages, you could receive compensation for the following:

• Lost wages
• Future lost earning potential
• Medical expenses
• Ongoing costs for medical treatments
• Other related expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium (loss of companionship)
• Burial expenses
• Punitive damages

The goal of the insurance company is to pay you the bare minimum, and it’s the job of your personal injury attorney to get as much money for you as possible. If settlement negotiations fail, we are prepared to go to court and fight to protect your interests.

How a Personal Injury Attorney Helps Car Accident Victims

Car accident cases can get complicated, especially if there is ambiguity about who is at fault or the insurance company is dragging its feet on settlement negotiations.

As you’re healing and putting the pieces of your life back together, the last thing you probably want to worry about is getting compensated for your losses. A personal injury attorney can take the bulk of your stress away by helping with the following:

• Gathering evidence to strengthen your case
• Calculating the value of your case
• Presenting facts to limit or negate any fault that could reduce your settlement
• Negotiating with the insurance company for a higher settlement amount
• Completing and filing the necessary paperwork
• Setting up payment arrangements with medical providers
• Hiring expert witnesses to support your case

Like most states, Connecticut applies a comparative negligence system in determining financial liability for a car accident. Under this approach, a victim may still be able to recover compensation, even if they were partially at fault for the crash.

However, this system has several nuances, including a reduction in compensation based on the amount of fault assigned. Your attorney will advocate for as little fault assigned to you as possible based on the facts of the case.

Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney Today

If you’re looking for a car accident attorney Connecticut has several experienced attorneys, including the Law Offices of James A. Welcome. Our firm has a successful track record in recovering compensation for our clients. Contact us today to request a consultation.