When someone is injured in an accident, there is a period of time where the victim is wondering whether or not to hire a personal injury attorney. Part of this decision involves trying to figure out what, if anything, the victim’s claim may be worth. This is very difficult for most non-lawyers to figure out, and they often leave important factors out when thinking about their expenses. As a result, most victims tend to underestimate the value of their claim, and often wind up settling their claim with the insurance company for far less than it is worth.
To be clear, getting injured in an accident is not like hitting the lottery – the objective is not to make money. But by undervaluing your claim, you run the risk of winding up with unpaid medical expenses or other economic losses on top of the pain and suffering you have to endure. We strongly recommend that you consult with an experienced personal injury attorney to get the compensation you deserve, but over the next couple of posts, we’ll review the various components of your claim.
Medical Expenses
Medical expenses are typically the largest component of a personal injury claim. These include any and all bills for medical treatment, including the following:
- Trips to the emergency room
- Visits to the doctor’s office
- Charges for crutches, wheelchairs, or other medical equipment or devices
- Physical therapy
Keep in mind that these bills are included in your claim, even if you haven’t paid out of pocket. You should carefully document all of the expenses you have incurred, and keep copies of all your receipts and other records.
Future Medical Expenses
These are medical expenses that you expect to incur but haven’t incurred yet. Some injuries are quite severe and require ongoing treatment. As a result, these expenses should be included in estimating the value of your claim.
Property Damage
Property damage is often the second largest component of a personal injury claim. If you were in a car accident, this would include the damage to your vehicle. If you were struck while riding your bicycle, it may include the cost to replace your bike. There may not be a property damage claim outside of car accidents, but any time you lost personal property as a result of an accident, you may be able to include it as part of this calculation. Again, you will need to keep copies of all receipts, estimates, and any other records that will help you justify your claim.
To Be Continued…..
We’ll cover the remaining components of your potential claim in our next post. We can’t emphasize enough, however, how important it is for you to keep accurate and complete records. If you can’t document your claim, it’s going to be very difficult to get the compensation you need.
Contact an Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney Today
Don’t jeopardize your claim by trying to deal with the insurance company alone. The attorneys at Slappey & Sadd have been helping accident victims get compensated for their injuries for over 30 years, and we can help you. If we don’t win, you don’t pay a fee. Call us at 404-255-6677 or send us an email in order to schedule a free consultation.