If you are facing the possibility of a personal injury lawsuit, then you likely want to know what your case is worth before you proceed. This is yet another reason why it is so important to call a personal injury attorney after a slip and fall, a dog attack, or a St. Petersburg auto accident. These professionals have received years of education and have the experience needed to get you the biggest possible judgment from the courts, to ensure that any medical and/or damages expenses are covered, as well as any lost wages that result from the incident.
Determining Fault
The first thing that will be decided in a case like this is where the negligence lies. If it is determined that you carry any of the fault in the case, then this will reduce the worth of your claim, because you will be responsible for a certain percentage of the determined damages. This percentage will be directly correlated to the percentage of fault placed on your shoulders in the case. For instance, if you are hit by someone speeding, but you are not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, it may be ruled that you are responsible for a small percentage of the related medical expenses because you did not protect yourself. This is something that should be discussed further with your Saint Petersburg lawyer. Be as honest as possible up front to prevent issues that could cost you more later in the case.
Court Versus Settlement
A case will often settle for less money out of court, if both parties can agree on terms. Though you may be able to receive a large sum of money should you follow through with the lawsuit, it will also mean a great deal of time and money invested to follow through with the proceedings. This is something that you should discuss at length with your personal injury attorney to determine what the best route is for your case and what a fair settlement might be.
The Expenses
The value of your case will be greatly impacted by the amount that you have paid out as a result. How much was the cost of any car repairs needed as a result of the accident? Did the dog attack result in property damage that had to be repaired? How much did you have to pay for medical care? How many days of work did you lose? Will you be out of work for an extended period of time as a result of the accident? Questions like these will have to be carefully explored in order to reach a value for the calculable expenses.
Non-Financial Losses
If your case was severe, ended in loss of life, or left you paralyzed, for instance, you may also be compensated for your pain and suffering. Courts do recognize that some accidents can leave a person or an entire family in an entirely different emotional, financial, and physical state for the remainder of their lives. For this reason, it may be possible to collect money above and beyond the actual related expenses. This does not apply in every case and your personal injury attorney will be able to give you a better idea as to whether or not it will be possible given your situation.
The very best way to ensure that you get what you deserve after an accident is to consult an attorney. He or she can give you a professional assessment of your case and provide answers to the many questions that you likely have about the process and the potential outcome.