Without question, this is the most frequently asked question a personal injury attorney faces when we sign up a new client after an injury: “What’s my case worth?” And it’s a reasonable question – after all, you’re not feeling well, maybe you’ve missed time from work, you’re not getting paid, your car is totaled, you have unpaid medical bills and you hurt all over.
“Is it even worth my time to pursue this?” Yes, it is.
The best analogy I have regarding this is, you’ve been dealt a hand and unfortunately most of those cards are face down at the beginning of the case. The true value of your claim can only be revealed over time when those cards are turned up one, after the other.
Over time, as you treat with a doctor or even a number of medical professionals they can determine a working diagnosis, treatment plan and prognosis for the future. The value of your claim is obviously related to how injured you are. As I tell my clients at the beginning, “I hope you have a lousy case, because it means you’ve recovered pretty well.”
I’ve never handed a settlement check to a seriously injured client who eventually said, “Yes! This was all worth it!” The bigger the settlement or judgment check, the more damaged you are. However, we are here to play the cards that were dealt to you. If your injury is slight, or severe we are here to help you navigate the waters.
Finally, good seasoned personal injury lawyers can assess the range of values of your case very well and you will have that discussion as it comes time to make a demand to the insurance company. It may seem arbitrary, but we have experience and knowledge with what juries are doing with injury cases in our jurisdiction. It is an art, rather than a science and therefore your choice of attorneys is a critical decision as you begin to heal.
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