What To Know About Your Personal Injury Settlement

Getting injured while on someone else's property can be a stressful time. You are worried about getting better not filling out forms and contacting insurance carriers, which is why getting an accident attorney is such an excellent idea. Your attorney can get you the settlement you deserve. If you are unfamiliar with personal injury settlements, check out these three facts.

You May Be Partially Responsible

Just because you were injured on someone's property, it doesn't mean they are completely responsible. The homeowner has a responsibility to ensure guests stay safe, but in some situations, you may be found partially responsible. For example, if there is clearly damage to the porch, but you choose to use it anyway, the insurance carrier could argue you saw the danger and ignored it. In some states, if you are partially responsible, you still get a settlement, but it is reduced. In other states, if you are partially responsible, you don't get any settlement.

A Formula Calculates the Settlement

The insurance carrier has to process a lot of claims, so instead of handling your case personally, they revert you to a formula. They take the amount of your medical bills and determine the extent of the accident, assigning it a number. These are then multiplied to calculate your settlement. If you don't have a lawyer, you may be tempted to take this offer, but a lawyer can negotiate to get you more money. They are particularly good at arguing that your medical bills may be higher, especially if your injuries are long-term or include pain and suffering.

A Settlement May Include More Than Medical Bills

Even if you work with the insurance carrier yourself, they will likely reimburse you for medical bills. However, there is more money you can get than just money for medical bills. If you've missed work because of the accident, you should be entitled to missing pay. Lastly, if you have pain and suffering, you can get money to help you in the future even after your physical injuries have healed. Most insurance carriers aren't going to offer lost income or pain and suffering unless you have an attorney on your side.

If you've been injured, you need to focus on healing, but you deserve a big settlement to help reimburse you for what you've lost, including medical bills. If you would like more information regarding accident settlements, contact a personal injury lawyer in your area today.