What Is My Case Worth?

This is a natural question for personal injury clients to ask and one that accident and injury lawyers often hear. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer in most cases, and if there were a simple answer, then the client probably would not need a lawyer.

Every case is different and many factors influence the value of a case. Some of the main factors include these:

• In a traffic accident case, how clear was it that the other driver was at fault?
• How serious are your initial injuries?
• How long were you unable to work?
• Were you hospitalized, and if so for how long?
• Are any of the injuries permanent, or indefinitely persisting?
• Are there issues of contributory negligence, such as failure to wear a seatbelt in an auto case?
• Will the injuries interfere with your capacity to earn a living?
• Will the injuries interfere with your capacity to maintain a household?
• Are the injuries so severe that personal care will be required?
• Are there medical conditions which pre-exist the accident and which may subtract from the claim that the injuries and ongoing limitations are wholly caused by the accident?

An experienced personal injury lawyer takes all of these factors and more into account in determining the settlement value of your case. I have provided useful information on how to find a great personal injury lawyer elsewhere in this website.

As you can see, there is no simple rulebook for determining the worth of a personal injury case. A great accident and injury lawyer learns all of the facts of the case which may affect settlement value, knows the awards made by courts in Newfoundland and Labrador in comparable cases, and knows the attitudes and approaches of the defence lawyers and insurance companies with whom settlement will be conducted and has a professional relationship with them. A great injury lawyer also has a professional working relationship with the medical doctors and other healthcare providers involved in your care, knows how to document the case to maximize settlement value, and knows that in a serious injury case it takes time for doctors to be in a position to state a confident prognosis about the future. These are some of the skills and knowledge that a great personal injury lawyer applies to establish what your case is worth.

For some specific examples, see our Frequently Asked Questions.