collapsed deck - can you sue?

Going through a car accident is never a pleasant experience in life, especially if you have major injuries from it, but you might be pleased when you receive the settlement check for the accident. You will not be able to settle immediately after the accident, but you can settle at some point in the future, and here are several things you will probably want to know when it comes to the settlement value of your accident.

Every Case Is Different

When settling a car accident, you should understand that every single accident that occurs is different. In other words, you cannot look up a formula to find out how much your settlement will be. Your settlement will be different than any other car accident case. A car accident settlement is based on the exact nature of the event, the injuries that occurred, the damage to vehicles and personal belongings, and the effects it had on the victims. You will need a lawyer helping you with your case if you want to settle for a decent amount.

You Will Receive Certain Types of Compensatory Damages

One of the main things your settlement will compensate you for is compensatory damages. Compensatory damages are designed to give you money for what you lost, and there are a lot of different types of compensatory damages you could receive.

The first, and most common, is money for the medical bills you incurred from your injuries. It is not hard to calculate how much medical bills cost, simply because you can add up all the bills you received, and you should give a copy of all the bills to your lawyer so he or she can include them in the settlement of your case. If you have injuries that will affect you for years to come, or for the rest of your life, your lawyer will add up how much these costs may end up being over the course of your lifetime, and he or she will ask for compensation for these.

Lost wages is another example of a compensatory damage you can request, and you can even ask for lost future wages if you will no longer be able to earn the same amount of money as you did prior to the injuries from the accident.

Additional compensatory damages include property loss, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of consortium.

You Could Also Qualify for Punitive Damages

There is also a chance your case could qualify for punitive damages. Punitive damages refer to amounts given to a victim for extreme carelessness. If, for example, the other driver was drunk, you could qualify for punitive damages. Punitive damages are on top of compensatory damages, and they are designed to compensate you for the lack of judgement and carelessness of the other party. If your lawyer thinks you might qualify for punitive damages, he or she will request a certain dollar amount to cover these damages.

Your Settlement Is Also Affected by the Person's Insurance Coverage

One other thing to understand is that the amount you receive for your settlement might be affected by the insurance coverage the at-fault driver has. It is the insurance company of the at-fault driver that is responsible to pay your settlement. If the person had very little insurance, you will have a harder time getting a large settlement package.

Finding a good lawyer is one of the best things you can do to make sure that you receive a settlement that will cover all your losses, damages, bills, and injuries. If you need a car accident lawyer, contact a personal injury law firm in your city to schedule a free consultation visit.