After an injury from a car accident or another incident that was not your fault, you can seek a settlement from the liable party’s insurance company. The point of this settlement is to cover the damages you incurred due to the liable party’s negligence.
From non-economic damages like scarring and pain and suffering to economic damages like medical expenses, your lawyer will consider every type of harm that you’ve suffered when seeking your settlement.
Settlement amounts can vary widely depending on the type and severity of your injuries and losses. While no attorney can definitively state how much your case is worth, they can explain the different damages that are commonly at issue in a personal injury case.
An attorney from Blackburn Romey can review your specific situation and help you obtain the settlement you deserve. Contact our Fort Wayne personal injury lawyers today for a no-cost case evaluation.
Our attorneys consider the unique damages that each client suffers. Our clients are people, and each person responds differently to harmful circumstances like car accidents and falls. One person might have significantly greater damages than another and we know there is no concrete settlement for damages. Instead, we examine each case individually based on your unique circumstances and losses.
When we review your damages, our team will consider numerous categories of damages, including the following:
Medical expenses are common damages in personal injury cases, and the severity of injuries will affect the financial cost of medical care (and other damages).
Our team will identify medical expenses you already face, which may stem from the following and more:
We may also consult experts to identify likely medical costs you’ll face in the future. If you need rehabilitation, future doctor visits, ongoing medication regimens, and other medical services or equipment, we’ll consider those as part of your possible settlement.
If you have already missed work because of injury, you may have lost:
Our lawyers will consider the cost of these existing damages. Again, we will also work with experts to project the future cost of lost income, lost earning power, and other professional losses if you cannot work for some time in the future or even ever work again.
If your case involves property damage, as is common in motor vehicle accident cases, we will consider property costs as part of your damages. Vehicle repairs, replacement of damaged clothing and jewelry, and damage to items inside your vehicle are all property expenses we will assess.
Blackburn Romey will also total the cost of property-adjacent expenses like the cost of a rental car or travel expenses to medical visits.
Not all damages are tied to monetary losses, as the law allows injury victims to seek recovery for intangible losses as well. Because these do not stem from medical bills, lost income, or other expenses, they are referred to as non-economic damages.
There are many factors to consider when seeking pain and suffering damages. Pain and suffering can account for the following:
These damages do not have an obvious cost and insurers regularly undervalue pain and suffering as a way to minimize settlement offers. Our attorneys know your pain and suffering is a very real – and compensable – type of loss; we always consider pain and suffering when seeking damages.
Lasting disabilities, impairments, scarring, and disfigurement can be part of a personal injury settlement. The condition itself may be costly, as will any procedures necessary to correct scarring or other disfigurements. Long-term disabilities might require medical equipment, home assistance, home and vehicle accommodations, and much more. All of this should be part of your damages. Disfigurement and disabilities can also cause additional pain and suffering due to the trauma and challenges of having a permanent condition that affects your daily life.
You want a lawyer who will take the time to consider all of your unique and personal damages. No two situations are the same, but insurance companies often treat claimants like a case file instead of a person. Our lawyers know you are an individual with real and concerning losses and we will never treat you like a number.
Looking at damages is a pivotal step in every personal injury case, but it is hardly the only responsibility we’ll handle for you. Our team of attorneys has decades of relevant experience that prepare us to:
Our firm fights personal injury cases with facts and evidence. We might:
We aim to have the strongest case possible when we begin the claim process.
Blackburn Romey hires experts who can help our clients’ cases. These experts may provide compelling testimony, reconstruct an accident, help us consider damages, or assist us in other ways.
Our attorneys will handle paperwork, communications, and all other administrative aspects of your case.
Having collected evidence of your economic and non-economic damages, we’ll fight for the full amount you’re owed, which varies widely from case to case. We’ll advise you to fight for a fair settlement for your losses. If that settlement never comes, Blackburn Romey can take your case to court.
Your focus should remain on your recovery and we’ll handle every step of your insurance claim or lawsuit. Let our experienced team fight for you while you fight to get healthy.
Our team provides personalized legal services at no upfront cost. We don’t take any upfront fees, and we only get paid if we get money for you. Call Blackburn Romey today for a free consultation, or contact us online.
Blackburn Romey founding partner Tom Blackburn graduated with honors receiving a degree from Indiana University at the Robert H. McKinney School of Law. Initiating his legal career in 1977, he has been active in practicing law and currently serves as a member of the Indiana State Bar Association on the Ethics and Advertising Committees, the American Bar Association, the American Association for Justice, as a board member at the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, and as an appointed member of the Executive Committee for the State of Indiana for the National Trial Lawyers Association.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Tom Blackburn, who has more than 47 years of legal experience, including over 39 years specializing as a personal injury attorney.
