If I had a quarter for every time a current or prospective client asked what their car accident case was worth…
If a friend’s neighbor’s granddaughter got a $1,000,000 settlement for stubbing her toe at the grocery store, something’s not right.
The appropriate response to this question is IT DEPENDS.
Determining The Value of a Car Accident Case in Arizona
Before a rough value can be forecasted, these five things must be established.
The first four are the elements of proving negligence:
- duty
- breach
- causation
- damages
In order to prevail on an Arizona car accident claim, each of these elements must be proven.
If you are rear-ended at a stop light and suffer injuries requiring ambulance transport and ER evaluation, you shouldn’t have trouble proving these elements.
The Fifth Element for Proving Negligence:
In that scenario, the evaluation often turns to the fifth and perhaps most important consideration:
5. IS THERE COVERAGE?
The ability of an at-fault driver to pay (via their auto insurance) for your damages and the availability of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is an essential ingredient to securing maximum compensation for your car accident claim.
There are plenty of cases that carry significant value, but all too often there’s not enough coverage to compensate for the damages.
Proving Damages in a Car Accident Injury Case:
In the event you establish the four elements described above AND there’s sufficient coverage, the consideration then turns to proving each of the damages contemplated under Arizona law that apply to your case.
In general, those can be summarized as follows:
- Nature and Duration of the Injury(s);
- Medical Expenses (past and future);
- Wage Loss (past and future);
- Pain and Suffering
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life (aka Quality of Life)
- Scarring/Disfigurement
- Mental/Emotional Anguish
The Value of a Car Accident Injury Case in Arizona:
Determining value can be more art than science, but it is important to hire an experienced car accident injury attorney that understands the available damages and how to maximize the value of your claim by taking all of these factors into consideration.
SG Law has successfully collected millions of dollars for its car accident clients by thoughtfully addressing each of these elements to the benefit of our client and their case. Contact SG Law today for a case consultation with an attorney.