How Much is My Personal Injury Claim Worth?

At The McClellan Law Firm, our San Diego personal injury lawyers frequently meet with injured victims and families who have many questions about their right to compensation. Among the many questions we receive, one of the most common involves the value of a personal injury claim: how much will my claim be worth? This question, many are surprised to discover, is not necessarily easy to answer.

All Cases are Unique

The simple fact is that all personal injury cases are unique, just as all accidents, injuries, and victims are different. Because of the unique characteristics involved in each case, determining the potential value of a claim will depend on many different factors. Other hurdles, including an insurance company's attempts to minimize a claim, also make estimating the compensation a victim will recover challenging.

Understanding Compensation

Because it is difficult to place a precise value on a claim during case evaluations, our legal team focuses on educating victims about their rights and about the damages they are eligible to recover. Although the values of each form of damages will vary from case to case, they can help victims understand what they are being compensated for. These damages may include any or all of the following:

• Economic Damages
  Economic damages refer to monetary losses experienced by victims and their families as a direct result of an accident and injury. Examples of economic damages include the costs of medical treatment and projected costs of future medical care, property damages, lost work wages, and lost future earnings, among other financial losses.
• Non-Economic Damages
  Injured victims may also be eligible to recover compensation for non-economic damages, including their pain and suffering, emotional injuries, and the emotional injuries experienced by their family members. Non-economic damages are difficult to equate to monetary sums, but our legal team works tirelessly to illustrate how accidents and injuries have impacted victims in a non-economic sense.
• Punitive Damages
  Punitive damages are awarded in cases that involve egregious acts of negligence or intentional acts of misconduct. They are not awarded in every case. When punitive damages are awarded, they serve to provide victims and families with additional compensation, further punish wrongdoers, and deter others from committing similar acts.

While compensation will vary from case to case, our legal team always works toward securing the maximum compensation possible for our clients. If you are interested in filing a personal injury claim and would like more information about your rights, call 619-215-1488 for a FREE consultation with a San Diego personal injury lawyer from The McClellan Law Firm.