A car accident can be traumatizing, physically, mentally and emotionally. And the worst thing is that the accident itself is only the beginning of your troubles. In addition to dealing with medical appointments and outrageous medical bills, you have to think about car repairs or replacement, time lost off work, disruption to your family life, and monthly bills that keep mounting while you recover from your injuries.
When you are injured in a car accident caused by a negligent driver, their insurance company will try to settle with you by offering you a certain sum of money. Minor car accident settlement amounts can be quite low. How much you get for your accident settlement depends on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of your lawyer.
Factors that Determine Car Accident Injury Settlement Amounts
Many factors come into play when calculating your car accident settlement amount. If you don’t hire a lawyer and leave it entirely up to the defendant’s insurance company, you can expect the lowest settlement possible. Insurance companies have to report to their shareholders, and they will do everything they can to minimize the amount they pay out for claims.
Key factors that determine how much to expect from a car accident settlement include:
- Scope and severity of your injuries
- Amount of damage to your vehicle
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
- Current and future medical bills
- Lost wages, or loss of livelihood
- Loss of consortium (inability to have sex)
- Punitive damages ruled against the defendant
Considering the many variables to be considered, it is impossible to forecast the average settlement for a car accident. But one thing is certain: hiring a personal injury attorney with experience negotiating auto accident settlements can make a huge difference in your final settlement amount.
Do Medical Bills Come Out of Your Settlement?
In most cases, your medical bills will be a key determinant of your settlement amount. If you have large medical bills that you cannot reasonably pay out of pocket, they will most likely come out or your final settlement.
In any traumatic auto injury, there are a number of factors that influence the type and severity of injury:
- velocity and direction of the involved vehicles
- angle and force of impact
- relative size and height of the vehicles
- medical status and fitness level of the injured driver
- road conditions
- ejection from the vehicle
- seatbelt, head rest and air bags
- driver’s vs passenger seats
- multiple other factors
In addition to the medical bills your accrue immediately after the accident, you may need ongoing long-term medical care. If some of your injuries are severe, lesser injuries may not be detected until weeks or even months after the accident.
It is important to not accept an early settlement offer until you are sure of the extent of your injuries and long-term medical needs. A skilled auto accident attorney will go to bat for you, to make sure your car accident settlement is large enough to cover your medical and personal needs.
Common Types of Auto Accident Injuries
Auto accident injuries can range from mild to severe. Because you are seated with your torso strapped in, your head and neck are particularly vulnerable. However, injuries can happen to any part of your body, depending on the nature of the collision.
Common auto injuries include:
- Injuries to the head, including concussion, traumatic brain injury, cuts and lacerations
- Injuries to the neck that damage the soft tissues and bony structures of the neck and shoulders, including whiplash
- Spinal injuries, that may include nerve damage, and damage to the spinal vertebrae from the neck to the low back
- Injuries to the arms and shoulders, including fractures, dislocated joints, rotator cuff injuries, sprained wrists and more
- Injuries to the knees and lower extremities from hitting the dash or being pinned beneath it
- Internal injuries to ribs and vital organs
- Extensive compound injuries from being ejected from the vehicle
It is important to seek medical attention immediately after an auto accident, even if you are able to walk away from your vehicle. Your body has protective mechanisms that mask pain in the early stages of injury, and some injuries are only detected days later. Having documentation that shows your sought medical treatment can influence the amount of your car accident settlement.
Why You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer
Many people are reluctant to seek legal help after a car accident, for fear of lofty legal fees. But many personal injury lawyers charge only a small fee up front, and most work on a contingency basis, extracting their fees from the final settlement.
A skilled auto accident attorney can:
- Help you gather documentation to establish your case
- Get additional information about the negligent driver
- Advise you on matters concerning medical bills and procedures
- Negotiate with insurance lawyers for the largest possible settlement
- Take your case to court if necessary
Your lawyer will pull out all the stops to see that you get a fair settlement for your injuries, pain and suffering.
Getting On with Your Life After Your Auto Accident
Your auto accident can totally change your life, depriving you of doing many things you once enjoyed. In the short term, it can also have a devastating impact on your finances while you wait for your case to settle. Sadly, insurance companies often exploit the circumstances of accident victims, pressuring you to accept a lowball offer now, instead of holding out for a larger settlement.
It’s true that some serious car accident cases can take months or even years to settle. If you need money now, you could apply for a bank loan, or ask your friends and family for money. But bank loans mean additional monthly payments that you can’t afford. And owing money to loved ones can strain relationships.
How Cronus Capital can Help
An auto injury cash advance from Cronus Capital Group offers a better alternative to banks and family members. We put money in your pocket in a matter of days, to take the pressure off so you can focus on healing.
Unlike a traditional bank loan, a lawsuit settlement cash advance does not require monthly payments. Instead, we get repaid from your settlement, once your case is settled. And the best thing is, if you lose your case, you owe us nothing!
The application process for a lawsuit cash advance is quick and easy, and there are no credit checks, so it won’t hurt your score. Contact Cronus today, and let us help you get your life back on track with a lawsuit cash advance while your lawyer settles your case.
