Are you considering opening a personal injury case?
Personal injury cases seek to gain financial compensation for those who have suffered unjust injuries due to the negligent actions of others. They incorporate a broad range of cases, from wrongful death cases to car accidents and medical malpractice lawsuits.
Often, people who suffer from these types of injuries undergo extensive medical procedures, incurring expensive bills. In addition, they may have persistent health problems, be unable to work for a period of time, or have extensive damage to their vehicles or mental health.
How much will you get in personal injury compensations should you file a case? After all, you don’t want to incur more lawyer fees if you’re not sure the outcome will be worth it.
Below, we will go into the details of personal injury settlements and how much you might get for your case.
Keep reading to learn more!
What Is a Personal Injury Case?
So, what is a personal injury case, exactly?
Personal injury cases deal with all manner of situations in which one person has been injured due to the negligent actions of another person or corporation. In order to win a personal case, you and your attorney need to establish that the other person or group of people had the duty to keep you safe and failed in that regard.
Now, we use the word “duty” here rather loosely. According to the law, the duty to keep someone safe includes everything from a doctor’s responsibility to care for his patients to an individual’s obligation to obey the rules of the road or an employer’s requirement to keep their employees out of danger while on their property.
If you properly establish the other person violated a duty to keep you or a loved one safe, you have a good chance of winning your personal injury case.
The Difference Between Personal Injury Cases and Criminal Cases
Do you hope the other party will go to jail if you win your case?
If you do, you may also want to consider pressing criminal charges in addition to pursuing a personal injury case.
Why? Personal injury cases fall under the civil lawsuit category of law. This means you and your lawyer will pursue financial compensation from the other party, but they won’t go to prison if you win.
Should you think your case constitutes a criminal situation, press charges against the other party. When you do this, authorities will open a criminal investigation and use the legal system to determine whether or not the person deserves to go behind bars.
You can pursue criminal and civil cases at the same time. In fact, people sometimes try to get money out of the people who have harmed them in a crime through a personal injury lawsuit while trying to get them behind bars in criminal court.
How Much Will You Get from Personal Injury Compensations?
So, how much will you get from your personal injury case?
The answer varies since most cases involve different details. These details determine how much the other party owes you when you win your case.
Lawyers also often take percentages of your winnings as their payment. You will have agreed on this percentage before you sign the contract to work with one another, though, so you don’t have to worry about the size of the lawyer’s cut surprising you.
Let’s get into more details in the sections below.
How Much Various Cases Cost
But why do cases vary in the size of their personal injury compensations?
If you think about it, it makes sense. While every personal injury situation has caused difficulties and undue hardship for the injured person, not all injuries are equally expensive or severe.
Someone who has been in a minor accident and suffered whiplash, for instance, likely has spent less on their overall medical treatment than someone else, who may have needed surgeries and life-saving procedures.
During the case, your personal injury lawyer collects information on your injury, including any medical records and witness testimonies. The attorney then assists you in determining the correct settlement amount as they review any settlements the other party’s insurance company offers.
So how much is the typical injury settlement amount?
Most personal injury cases receive anywhere from $3,000-$25,000. Yet, many people receive a lot more, and some settlements get people tens of thousands to millions of dollars.
Your Lawyer’s Cut
Attorneys have several different ways of getting fair payment for their work.
Most realize their clients already come to them in hard financial straits, having already paid for medical procedures or even property damage repair. Because of this, they strike a deal with their clients at the start of their relationship; they agree to take a portion of the settlement money, but only if they win.
Many don’t charge anything at all if you don’t win.
Often, lawyers get between 33%-40% of your personal injury settlements. So, if you win $3,000, your lawyer might take anywhere between $990 and $1,200.
Yet, not all law firms or lawyers receive compensation this way. To determine how much your individual lawyer will charge and when they’ll bill you, contact their staff and ask before you sign the contract. You should also ask if you’ll be expected to cover any specific court fees or other charges along the way.
That way, you’ll be prepared to financially thrive in between now and getting your settlement.
Want More Legal Advice?
Have you been injured because of someone else’s negligent actions?
If so, you might be able to receive personal injury compensations. Yet, your settlement amount may vary, based on factors such as the severity of your case. Your lawyer will also receive a significant portion of your winnings.
Do you want more legal advice? If so, check out the rest of our articles!