How Long Does it Take to Settle a Car Accident Case?

Many victims wonder how long does it take to settle a car accident case especially if they have been injured or have experienced loss of property and need financial help immediately. Many things can happen as a result of a car accident such as a disability, vehicular damage, loss of job or even death. Those who have experienced some loss that requires immediate help are the most desperate to know how long does it take to settle a car accident case. Here are some basic guidelines in determining the length of time you can expect regarding vehicular accident case settlements.

1. Circumstances of Accident - As with any law case, the circumstances will determine the length of time and amount of energy necessary to resolve the issue. The more complicated the situation, the longer a case generally requires. If you are involved in a simple case that is clearly the other driver's fault as determined by law enforcement and the driver does not challenge the assessment, you may see your case settled within a few weeks. A more complicated case that involves issues such as drunk driving, death or disability claims can require a lot more time and you can expect to be involved for several months or even a couple of years before it is resolved legally and financially.

2. Attitude of the Insurance Company - Another issue that can make a case shorter or longer is the attitude of the liable insurance company. If they refuse to settle in short order or decide to prolong the case by throwing up every paper thin issue they can find, you may be dealing with them for several months before every protest is met. On the other hand, a reputable insurance company that puts consumer interests first will usually settle a case within a few weeks rather than spend extra time and money on a prolonged case.

3. Ability of Your Counsel - The attorney that you choose will play an important part in whether or not your case is resolved successfully as well as in a shorter amount of time. When choosing a competent lawyer, be sure that you choose one that listens to you, that has handled several cases similar to yours and that has a success rate in dealing with car accident cases. An experienced attorney who handles mostly accident cases will do a much better job, generally speaking, than another lawyer who only handles these types of cases once in a while.

4. Your Patience - Some clients are so desperate to get a case settled that they will take an early settlement that may not be as much as they could ultimately receive if they relied on their legal counsel's best advice. Some unscrupulous insurance companies will offer a meager settlement to desperate victims in order to protect their bottom line. If you have confidence in your legal advisor, be sure to exercise patience in waiting on the best settlement you can receive.

Be sure to keep these issues in mind if you are involved in any car accident suit so that you know what to expect. If you know realistically how long does it take to settle a car accident case, you won't be as apt to make a poor decision that could negatively impact your future.

Winning Auto Accident Personal Injury Claim 101

When someone harms us or prevents us from living a normal life, we are often desperate for vengeance. It is a normal feeling to be so overwhelmed with frustration, especially when an accident leaves us claiming workers compensation or getting nowhere when our insurance companies just don't seem to listen.

If you have been harmed by another person - whether it is emotional pain or strictly an auto accident injury, you have every right to file for a personal injury claim. However, you must keep everything on file. From doctors files to medical bills and fees; this is the only way you are going to back up that you really do need compensation. Due to the person's fault, you do not only have to leave work, but you also have financial burdens piling up.

When you do end up in an accident and acquire an auto accident injury, you must follow the following steps. Make sure you write in full detail what happened. Also take a lot of photos documenting the accident. If you don't do these things immediately, chances are you will forget minor details days later. These minor details could actually help your personal injury claim, thus it will benefit you down the road. Additionally, find witnesses who may have been around the accident. This will help you pick witnesses for your case and will also be a major resource against the defendant.

Once you have documented all of this information, you must get a medical examination. The doctor's notes will prevail in court, especially when there are photos that go along with the record. After you get checked by a professional, ask to get a copy of the billing, to make sure you document the amount of money you have been spending.

While all of these things are vital, you will never win a case unless you have a personal injury attorney. Hiring a personal injury lawyer will not only increase your chances of compensation, but insurance companies tend to negotiate quicker when they see that you have support. The last thing an insurance agency wants is any bad publicity. They want to avoid all law suits, especially ones that could leave them bankrupt!

If you are unsure of how to find a lawyer to help you with your personal injury claim, looking through the internet is a good way of searching. However, make sure you find their references, call their former clients, and read up on what cases they have done. You do not want to be caught in a scam when you just want to get compensation through your personal injury claim. If you know that you absolutely have to have the best person to represent you, looking for Boston personal injury attorneys is recommended. Boston personal injury attorneys among others are the best in the country, and can provide you with an array of information, experience, and help.

Just because you have an auto accident injury, doesn't mean that you will be scarred for life. File for a personal injury claim, hire a lawyer, and keep your head up high. If you have followed the above tips when you get into an auto accident, you will be more than prepared.

How To Estimate The Value On Your Car Accident Injury Claim

If you have been harmed by another person - whether it is emotional pain or strictly an auto accident injury, you have every right to file for a personal injury claim. However, you must keep everything on file. From doctors files to medical bills and fees; this is the only way you are going to back up that you really do need compensation. Due to the person's fault, you do not only have to leave work, but you also have financial burdens piling up. When you do end up in an accident and acquire an auto accident injury, you must follow the right steps and find right lawyers.

The laws governing personal injury varies from state to state. If you are living in the Boston area and are involved in a car accident then it may be necessary for you to contact a Boston car accident lawyer if the accident was not your fault or if the insurance company is not paying for your damages. A Boston motor vehicle accident lawyer can help you learn everything you need to know about estimating the value on your car accident injury claim. In fact, if you provide your Boston motor vehicle accident attorney with all the necessary information then your lawyer will likely be able to fill the claim out for you. It's not easy to understand the law, claims, and estimations especially if you have been in a car accident and have been injured. So, let your lawyer handle the negotiations and claims and you simply provide the necessary information.

While all of these things are vital, you will never win a case unless you have a personal injury attorney. Hiring a personal injury lawyer will not only increase your chances of compensation, but insurance companies tend to negotiate quicker when they see that you have support. Your Boston lawyer will need to ask you questions about the car accident, how it happened, and the injuries that were sustained. Of course, the amount of money you owe or have spent on medical care will be included in the injury claim. Medicines, home health nurses, and the like are also included if they were necessary. Rehab and any medical devices you may have needed or used are also include in the claim. Once you have a round number from what has been spent you need to look forward to what health care will be needed to cure your injuries or whether you will be affected for life. Coming up with a quote for this is also important. Then, you will need to move onto lost money.

If you were in an auto accident and were injured it is very likely that you were out of work for at least a period of time if not long term. It is even possible you will not be able to work for months or even years as a result of your injury. So, you must come up with lost income as well before you can file an accurate injury claim. There are likely other costs like pain and suffering as well. Your lawyer will be able to guide you and help you come up with an accurate car accident injury claim.

New York's Good Samaritan Law - A Good Deed Goes Unpunished

The other day, a client was telling me a story.  While trying to describe somebody's personality, he said this:

"She's the type of person that will find fault in everything you do. If you push her off the tracks just seconds before she is about to be struck by a speeding locomotive, she'll sue you for bruising her leg and soiling her clothes."

And that reminded me of New York's Good Samaritan law, today's topic.

Common Law: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Generally speaking, there is no duty to come to the aid of somebody that has been in an accident and in need of emergency medical assistance. However, not long ago, if you attempted to render medical assistance to somebody and botched the rescue, chances were you would be sued. Therefore, educated bystanders wouldn't dare attempt a rescue.

Since the common law discouraged bystanders from attempting to render medical assistance to those in need, the legislature, recognizing this result was both unacceptable and undesirable, enacted in 2000 what is generally referred to as the Good Samaritan law.

Effect of the Law

New York's Good Samaritan law carves out specific circumstances when an individual shall not be held liable for ordinary negligence in attempting to render medical assistance. Instead, they will only be held liable in cases of gross negligence.

Gross Negligence

Simply put, negligence is a failure to exercise ordinary care. Gross negligence means a failure to use even slight care, or is conduct that is so careless as to show complete disregard for the rights and safety of others.

When it Applies

The law isn't found in one centralized part, but rather integrated into various provisions of the NY Public Health Law and the NY Education Law.

Importantly, New York's Good Samaritan law is limited to medical treatment or assistance. The heart of the law is found in Pub. Health Law §3000-a, which provides in part:

Any person who voluntarily and without expectation of monetary compensation renders first aid or emergency treatment at the scene of an accident or other emergency outside a hospital, doctor's office or any other place having proper and necessary medical equipment, to a person who is unconscious, ill, or injured, shall not be liable for damages for injuries alleged to have been sustained by such person or for damages for the death of such person alleged to have occurred by reason of an act or omission in the rendering of such emergency treatment unless it is established that such injuries were or such death was caused by gross negligence on the part of such person.

Voluntary Act; No Expectation of Monetary Compensation

An important theme here is that the person act both voluntarily, and without the expectation of monetary compensation. This is significant because the protection extends to dentists (Educ. on Law §661[6]), physicians (Educ. Law §6527[2]), nurses (Educ. Law §6909[1]), physicians assistants (Educ. Law §6547) and physical therapists (Educ. Law §6737), provided they are not in a place having proper and necessary medical equipment, and are not rendering their professional or licensed services in the ordinary course of their practices.

Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and Epinephrine Auto-Injector (Epi-pen) Devices

The law is somewhat different, however, for emergency health care providers, or those persons or entities that purchase or make available Automated External Defibrillator (AED) devices, or Epinephrine Auto-Injector devices. In those cases, the emergency health care provider, person or entity, shall not be held liable for the use of that equipment if a person voluntarily and without expectation of monetary compensation renders first aid or emergency medical treatment, and shall also not be held liable for the use of defectively manufactured equipment.

However, the law expressly states it shall not limit claims against the emergency health care provider, person or entity that purchased or made available that equipment from its own negligence, gross negligence or intentional misconduct. Pub. Health Law §3000-a(2). See, also, Pub. Health Law §3000-b (Automated External Defibrillators) and Pub. Health Law §3000-c (Epinephrine Auto-Injector).

Go Ahead, Be a Hero

Once again, it is safe to play superhero, but remember to use at least ordinary care.

(NOTE: Emergency medical technicians and volunteer ambulance services are subject to more technical provisions under Pub. Health Law §3013

Personal Injury Settlement Amounts - How to Increase Car Accident Claims

If you want to increase your personal injury settlement amounts, then you should understand which things make the biggest impact. Here are a few important things that determine the amount of your accident claims:

Recovery Time

To determine how serious your injuries were, the insurance companies will look at the length of your recovery time. They want to know if your injuries affected your life for a few days or a few months. The reasoning behind this is simple. The insurance companies think that the longer it takes you to recover from an injury, the more serious it must be. The more serious your injuries appear, the higher your personal injury settlement amounts.

The best way to document the length of your injuries is with your doctor's medical reports. A medical report that shows you visited the doctor multiple times after a car accident, can significantly improve your chances of getting a higher settlement.

Lasting Injuries

Some injuries can have a long term and even permanent impact on your life. These types of injuries include scarring, broken bones, permanent disabilities, lost limbs etc. Since these injuries can severely impact your everyday life, they get higher personal injury settlement amounts.

Some injuries are serious but may not be apparent in terms of their long term effect. This is typically true for injuries to the brain, such as concussions, where the symptoms may appear months later.

To check if your injuries have any serious long term consequences, ask your doctor for potential future side effects. If there is a possibility that your injuries could cause you any lasting damage, you should ask your doctor to document this in your medical report.

Medications

Another way insurance companies determine the seriousness of your injuries is by checking if you are taking any prescribed medications. Taking medication shows that your injuries have been continuing to cause you pain and discomfort.

You should document all of your medications and note all the symptoms you have been experiencing. This can include severe headaches, chronic pains, inflammation, joint pain etc.

Physical/Emotional Pain

To increase your personal injury settlement amounts, you should try to paint a complete picture of how you were impacted by the accident. Simply saying what your injuries are does not show the level of pain and discomfort you are experiencing in your daily life.

That is why it helps if you document both the physical and emotional impact of your injuries. The same injury can have a different impact on different people. For example:

-A visible scar can cause a teenager extreme embarrassment.
-Being stuck in a wheel chair may prevent a mother from taking care of her kids.
-A stiff neck can prevent someone from enjoying a good night sleep

All of these things are not obvious consequences of an injury. That is why it's important you keep a diary/journal that details how you were affected by your injuries. You should try to describe the activity you were doing and the physical/emotional discomfort you felt.

The more clearly you describe your injuries, the better the chance you will increase your personal injury settlement amounts.

How Long Does a Whiplash Injury Claim Take to Settle?

To answer the question of how long a whiplash injury claim takes to settle in the vast majority of cases in the past we could have heard solicitors say things like "It may take a long time to settle", obviously this was to a lesser or higher degree depending on the individual accident circumstances. For a straight forward whiplash claim it still required a patient waiting game for the solicitors to thrash out the liability with the case often dragging on and on.

Thankfully though as of April 2010 for the vast majority of car accident compensation claims now up to £10,000 this has changed and the timescale for accepting or denying liability for a road traffic accidents has been reduced to 15 days instead of between 60 and 90 days. The other key point is now solicitors and insurers use a new portal for sharing of information to further speed up the claim process and settle cases earlier. Many straightforward car accident whiplash claim cases are usually settled out of court as once the liability is admitted it's just a case of deciding the appropriate damages each personal injury case requires to settle. Factors bought into consideration are loss of earnings, affects on hobbies and social life, pain and suffering, any long term effects to health the injury will have caused and the treatment required. This does not apply to higher injury settlement cases for example life threatening or more serious brain or spine injury for example. These sorts of claims can still take sometimes many years as the long term effect of the injury treatment and long term care required may not be fully established until such time has past.

It is therefore wise to hire an expert car accident solicitor who has the experience to help you with your individual case through the legal system however minor or severe your whiplash injury might be.

Physical and Psychological Injury in a Workplace Accident and the Help of Defense Lawyer

It is known fact that accidents in workplace occur very frequently. Most of the people believe that workplace accidents happen only to people who work in complicated jobs such as construction, health care workers or motor vehicle drivers. Work injuries can occur in any work environment. Such accidents may lead to both physical as well as psychological injuries.

A Physical injury causes pain of varying intensity to the individual whereas a psychological injury greatly differs to the effect caused by physical injury. Physical injury can be identified immediately whereas psychological injury takes couple of weeks, months or in some cases it may even take years after the event took place. An individual who is exposed to a traumatic event or a series of traumatic events may directly have an impact of psychological injury. The most common root causes of psychological injury crop up from abuse in the physical, mental and sexual context. On the defense side, Psychological injury claims are sometimes difficult to disprove.

Any injury whether it is physical or mental would only affect the productivity of the person involved in the accident. As such this would financially affect him or her. Whoever who is affected in such a way that he may not be able to perform his duties properly will be prone to psychological injury as well. Accident injury attorney or work injury attorneys help us identify if we are affected by any kind of personal injury or loss of money due to a workplace accident. If the individual is injured by the actions or carelessness of another person, then the injured person is eligible for personal injury claim. Physical damages such as pain and suffering, short or long term disabilities, emotional or psychological injury are part of personal injury claims. Regardless of the injuries incurred are minor and temporary, it is most important to file a personal injury claim that may award considerable financial compensation. Claim for compensation after an accident that was not your mistake is your civil and legal right.

To protect the victims of accidents that occurred with no fault of their own, Personal injury laws was put in place to safeguard them. Accident Consultant will do everything that they can to make sure your claim, a success.

Based on the case, most of the personal injury attorney specializing in personal injury work on contingency, or they may demand some percentage of financial damages awarded at the end of the claim. Court system is little expensive by taking a claim through several hearings and it may be extended to several months or several years. But it is always worth to seek the help of personal injury lawyer so as to provide proper representation in the legal proceedings.

Most of the personal injury law firm focuses on complex personal injury litigation such as for premises negligence and transportation liability, medical malpractice, wrongful death, product liability, including car-truck collisions and train accidents. It is the duty of the person seeking legal assistance to check all these matters before approaching the lawyer so that he or she can be sure of the service quality of the defense lawyer they have chosen for legal representatin.

Whiplash Claim Payouts in Car Accidents

Britain by comparison with most other EU countries, has a good track record for road safety and one of the lowest road death rates in the EU; however hundreds of thousands of accidents still happen each year. These accidents are caused by a wide variety of circumstances including speeding, drink driving, drug abuse or simple lack of awareness and due care and attention to other road users to name just a few. There are many ways people get injured such as a pedestrian involved in a vehicle accident. a driver in a car accident or a passenger in a motor vehicle. Each and every one of these people should be able to claim against the third party who is responsible for causing the accident.

Naturally there are varying degrees of injury such as internal injury, broken bones or serious brain injury. The vast majority of road accident claims in the UK though are car accident compensation claims for soft tissue injury to the neck or spine called whiplash, which is caused by the sudden movement and jerk to the neck and spine upon impact. Whiplash injury may not last long in most suffers and be undetectable in many cases but certainly can cause considerable discomfort for the affected person.

Dangerous drivers and drivers who drive without due care and attention can cause many accidents on our roads, but at least some form of financial compensation is available to suffers of whiplash who wish to make a claim. Whilst the money will not heal your injuries it can certainly in some way in help you for the inconvenience, pain, suffering and out of pocket expenses.

In addition to the fact that whiplash injury in car accident claims account for the vast majority of claims being submitted for personal injury today, whiplash compensation claims also appear to have been on the rise since the advent of the "No Win No Fee" system in England. The "No Win No Fee" arrangement was introduced to save the claimant a paying legal costs as these are recovered form the negligent third party who is liable for the accident.

Industrial Accidents

Accidents in the workplace occur on a regular basis. Many of the industrial accidents that happen could have been prevented with proper safety precautions.

Building sites, factories and warehouses are notoriously dangerous places to work and thousands of workers become injured through accidents whilst working in these places. Many of these industrial accidents could have been avoided if health and safety regulations are followed. Industrial injuries can be caused either through negligence, by accident or through incompetence.

There are many different types of industrial accidents and the list of potential injuries is even bigger. Claims can be made for any number of injuries, for example on building sites any number of accidents can happen, from falling debris to faulty scaffolding. A construction site accident could be caused faulty machinery and in warehouses' there is often the risk of trips or falls. A person who has become a victim of any of these accidents could be entitled to make a claim of compensation.

Other injuries or illness that can occur as a result of working in industry can less be less obvious. For example, asbestosis, industrial deafness, chemical injuries, vibration white finger and carbon monoxide poisoning are all injuries or illness that can be avoided.

It is the responsibility of the employer to protect their employees against hazards in the work place and in the majority of industrial situations, employees will be safe. It is only in the minority of industrial workplaces that industry accidents occur, but when they do they can be really serious.

An injury at work can leave you out of action for a considerable amount of time. This can result in a loss of earnings as well as potentially causing long term health problems, such as in the case of asbestos exposure. The physical and mental pain endured can cause problems in the short term as well as the cost of medical bills from the treatment and recovery leaving you out of pocket.

If you are unfortunate enough to have experienced an industrial injury, then you may have a case to claim compensation. It is a legal requirement for your employer to comply with safety regulations in relation to your workplace such as access to it and the way that machinery and equipment is maintained and operated.

Your employer is also required to provide staff with the appropriate training and information to ensure they are aware how to keep safe in the workplace. Failure to do so may result in accident.

You should not be afraid or hesitant to make a claim against your employer if it is their fault you have been injured. Reporting your employer should help encourage them to be less negligent in the future, and ultimately reducing the chance of an industrial accident happening to anyone else.

Interesting Motorcycle Accident Statistics

The allure of a motorcycle is undeniable. The feeling of open air, the scenery, the camaraderie with other bikers all come together to create a sense of freedom and adventure. Everything about it is just so cool and fun and exciting-except if you or another biker gets into a motorcycle accident.

Then, things can get tough for awhile while you heal or take care of your friends and try to make sure everything works out for the best. Some bikers think they don't have much recourse after an accident. It's part of life on the highways, they think, but you have a right to a personal injury claim as much as anyone else who is a victim of negligence.

Motorcycle accidents happen in startling numbers. Make sure you're protecting your rights to ride if you get in an accident.

• 75% of motorcycle accidents involve collision with another vehicle, where failure of motorists to recognize motorcycles is the leading cause.
• In single vehicle accidents caused by motorcycle error, slideouts due to overbraking are the main cause-but the motorists still fail to react responsibly to the slideouts and are usually still negligent.
• The main behavior in motorist negligence against a motorcycle is making a left-hand turn while the motorcyclist is driving straight.
• Weather is a factor in only approximately 2% of accidents involving motorcycles.
• The median pre-crash speed in a motorcycle accident is 29 MPH. This is not an unsafe speed as long as it is lawful for the road.
• Almost half of fatal accidents involve alcohol. The majority of these accidents show considerable collision avoidance, including failure to brake, overbraking, or lack of ability to countersteer. Don't drink and ride!
• Large displacement motorcycles are underrepresented in accident data, but when they are in collisions, the damage is much worse.
• Safety helmets are the most critical factor in preventing death in an accident.
• Helmeted riders show less injury to the head, neck, and spine. Only 4 minor injuries from 2001 on are recorded by the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration.

Ride safe, so you can keep riding!

How Much Compensation is the Due Compensation in a Personal Injury Claim?

Whenever a claimant knocks at the door of law through the medium of a personal injury compensation claim, there is always one solid question in his mind 'how much compensation will I get?' this happens to be the sole point of attraction associated with these injuries claims. Here, we witness different types of claimants belonging to different types of injury claims seeking the compensation; they have received as result of an accident that has happened due to the fault of another person. So, there arises a question that how much compensation is the due and deserving compensation?

In personal injury claim cases, the claimants who are supposed to be the injured parties, they seek compensation from those whose neglect and irresponsibility make the victims to go through different physical and financial injuries. This compensation happens to be in form of a monetary relief which is to be paid by the guilty party to the injured party. So, obviously, the claimants get estimation beforehand and they strive to get it successfully through the medium of these injury claims. Though the third party insurers offer initially to the injured party and if the claimant feels that this is the deserving amount, a settlement happens between the two parties but in case the claimant is not satisfied, there is the court room to get what he wants.

There are different modes and methods that are being applied to calculate the right amount for a compensation claim. It is always advised to hire the services of a professional lawyer in this regard because he is the one who can guide the claimant in the best possible manner. He knows what factors are to be kept in mind in order to calculate the claim amount. There are certain factors that are to be kept in mind while estimating an accurate amount for compensation like

o Intensity and the nature of the received injury
o The suffered pain and suffering as result of that accident
o The medical and the hospitalization expense
o The future medical expense that can happen if there are some symptoms of an injury to appear later as a result of that accident
o The financial loss which covers the lost income (happening in case the claimant is not able to join the work for several days) and the property damage.

These are supposed to be the main factors that influence the estimation of the compensation claim. That claim is supposed to be a deserving and due which covers all these related factors. The compensation can not dissolve the injury instantly but it does help the claimant to feel a lessened intensity of the suffered injuries.

The contents of the article are provided for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended for a legal advice.

How to Estimate a Personal Injury Settlement - Figure Out How Much You'll Get

Let's suppose that you were recently injured. Perhaps it was in a car accident or simply from walking on an icy sidewalk. At some point, you may wonder whether you have a viable claim for legal compensation for your injuries. However, how do you figure out how much money you may be entitled?

The truth is, accurately calculating the value of a personal injury legal claim is very complicated. Even the most seasoned accident & injury attorneys have a very difficult time accurately figuring out what a personal injury claim may be worth. However, there are some factors that can be evaluated in trying to estimate the value of your case should you decide to pursue or settlement or jury trial. Here are some of the factors that should be considered:

The Facts and Circumstances

The specific facts and circumstances of your injury situation will have a lot to do with the "value" of your personal injury lawsuit. Did the person or company at fault for your injuries act unreasonably? Do they have insurance? What is the total value of your insurance policy?

The Evidence

In addition to the facts, you will have to have evidence to prove your case. Regardless of how badly a defendant may have acted to cause to your injuries, without evidence of this wrong-doing, it will be difficult to prove that you are entitled to compensation.

Your Legal Representation

Of course, the quality of your legal representation will also play a role in the outcome of your personal injury case. If you represent yourself, or select an unqualified attorney, your chances of obtaining appropriate compensation will likely diminish. That is why it is important to interview your prospective lawyer first and determine what sort of experience he/she has had with legal matters similar to yours.

Here are some additional factors that will play a role in determining the value of your accident injury claim:

The amount of your medical bills related to this incident.

The degree of pain and suffering that you and potentially close relatives have endured from this matter.

Missed work and the impact your injuries have on your future work prognosis.

Permanent disfigurement and/or disabilities caused by this incident.

In the end, the best way to maximizing your chances of obtaining a successful outcome is to discuss your injury legal situation with an experienced legal professional in your state. Since most injury cases involve state law matters, you will want to consult with an attorney familiar with the laws in the state in which you believe will have jurisdiction over your case. Of course, you may not know which state has jurisdiction. In that case, you should contact an attorney near you who can help you understand in which state you will probably want to bring your case. An attorney should also be able to point you in the direction of other attorneys who may be able to assist you.

Personal Injury Calculator - Top 5 Questions For Calculating Your Car Accident Claims

Using a personal injury calculator can help you figure out how much your car accident claims are worth. Here are the top 5 questions people ask about calculating the value of their auto insurance settlement.

1. How Does the Personal Injury Calculator Determine my Car Accident Claim?

The most basic formula that is known to be used for car accident injury claims is:

Pain Multiplier X Medical Expenses + Loss of Income

The "pain multiplier" is a number typically between 1.5 and 5. This multiplier number is chosen based on the severity of your car accident injuries; the more serious your injuries, the larger the multiplier.

For example, a minor injury like a sprained neck is more likely to get a low multiplier (1.5-3). While a more serious and painful injury, like a broken leg, would get a higher multiplier (3-5). The multiplier range may even go to higher figures (10) for more severe and long term injuries.

The next thing that is included in the claims formula is your medical expenses, also known as "special damages." These expenses include the cost of your medical treatments, visits to the hospital, ambulance ride, X-Rays, pain medication etc.

The final thing that is added in your insurance settlement is your loss of income. This refers to the amount of income you lost as a result of your injuries. For example, if your injuries forced you to stay home from work, then your lost income would equal your daily pay rate times the number of work days you missed.

2. When Should You Use a Personal Injury Calculator?

The best time to use the injury calculator is at the end of your medical treatment. You should always have your injuries thoroughly diagnosed and examined before filing an injury claim. This gives you a more accurate estimate of your total medical expenses that should be included in your final settlement.

3. Who Should NOT Use the Personal Injury Calculator?

Most personal injury claims involve minor injuries that do not require you to immediately hire an expensive lawyer. For these types of claims, you should use the injury calculator to get a rough estimate of what your auto accident settlement might be worth.

However, there are insurance claims which cannot be handled without the help of a skilled injury lawyer. These types of car accident claims involve more serious and long term injuries like permanent disabilities, lost or severed limbs, traumatic head injuries etc. If you were severely injured, your best option is to meet with a lawyer who is familiar with claims related to your specific injuries.

4. How Accurate is the Personal Injury Calculator?

The injury calculator does not give you the exact final settlement, but an initial estimate of how much your injuries are worth to the insurance companies.

Many people would argue that the injury calculator is too simplistic. That it does not address the complexities and subtleties of an individual's personal injury claim. Others are quick to bring up Colossus, a sophisticated software program used by the insurance companies to evaluate insurance claims.

However, the biggest benefit of using the personal injury calculator is not to tell you what will be your specific settlement amount. The biggest benefit is to help you understand how your specific settlement amount will be calculated. The settlement calculator emphasizes that the range of your final settlement amount will be primarily based on:

1. The seriousness of your injuries.
2. Your total medical costs.
3. Your lost income.

These are going to be a key factors in your injury settlement regardless of which specific software program you use.

5. Should I Use the Personal Injury Calculator?

You will always have the option of bringing in a lawyer further down in the claims process. The best advice is to use the settlement calculator to get a quick assessment of what your auto accident claims can be worth.

Top 4 Construction Accident Statistics

Like any other working environment, those in the construction industry may experience work accidents from time to time. If the employee's injury can be directly attributed to the mistakes of the employer, these accidents can lead to successful construction accident claims.

While making work accident claims can help many of those injured on construction sites, it is far better if employees and workers are made well aware of the dangers, and the correct procedures are put into place to prevent construction accidents from happening in the first place. This would lead to a reduction in construction accidents and fewer construction accident claims being made.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides statistics related to construction incidents - here are four interesting construction injury statistics for those who want to learn more about the potential dangers of working on a construction site.

1. Construction accidents have the most fatal injuries

With 29.4 percent of all fatal injuries in 2008/9 attributable to the construction industry, construction accidents cause the most fatal injuries of all the main industry groups. With 53 fatal construction injuries in 2008/9, this was, however, a 26 percent decrease on the previous year's figure.

2. Major construction incidents are decreasing

Since 1999/2000 there has been an overall decrease in the number of reported major injuries occurring in the construction industry. In fact, the overall rate for 2008/9 is 36 percent down on that for 1999/2000. Despite this reduction, there are still more major injuries reported among those working on construction sites than there are in any other main industry group. There was also a steady decrease in over-3-day construction injuries during this time, totaling a 43 percent decrease since 1999/2000.

3. The most common construction accidents involve handling and slips and trips

Construction injuries most commonly involve handling (29 percent of accidents) and slips and trips (22 percent). These are also the most common types of accidents reported across all the main industries. However, construction differed from other industries in the overall quantity of injuries resulting from falling from a height. This accounts for 17 percent of construction injuries compared to only 8 percent overall. Moving or falling objects were also more of a cause of accidents in construction, with 16 percent compared to an overall 11 percent. Contact with moving machinery, electricity and collapses/overturns all had a higher occurrence in construction than in other industries.

4. Less serious construction injuries are under-reported

A higher proportion of reported construction accidents are serious compared to those in other industries. However, Labour Force Survey (LFS) data indicates that this is because less serious construction injuries are under-reported. The LFS estimated rate of non fatal injuries for 2007/8 was 1427 per 100,000 compared to the actual rate reported of 880 per 100,000. This indicates some work accident victims may be missing out on the compensation they deserve by failing to make legitimate construction injury claims for less serious injuries.

If you have suffered as a result of a construction injury, you may be able to make a construction accident claim. Find out more about work accident claims by contacting a legitimate claims management company as soon as possible.