Attorney David J. King

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Calculating the cost of your accident

On Behalf of | Sep 26, 2018 | Firm News

After an accident, you have a lot on your mind, not the least of which is paying for the property damage, medical bills and lost wages. While your main focus is to recover from your injuries, you may be distracted from this by the thought of your family struggling financially because of the negligence of another driver.

You may have gone online to see if you could find information about what to expect from the insurance company in such a case. If you found and used an online estimator, you should know not to place too much stock in the results it gave you. There are many factors that those estimators and even insurance adjustors may not consider when reaching an offer for your injuries.

Where do estimates come from?

Although more than one person may suffer the same injuries that you did, not everyone comes from the same circumstances. The loss of a leg for a computer programmer may not have the same implications as the same loss for a professional dancer. Not only is the dancer dealing with the medical expenses, but he or she will also suffer the loss of earning capacity in a chosen field.

Settlement estimators often use charts that are the compilation of average settlements for similar injuries and do not take into consideration the factors that may alter the effects of an injury. Additionally, the level of pain and suffering you may face following your injuries may be very different from those used to arrive at the estimates on the charts. Without knowing your personal situation and the way in which your injuries will affect your life, a chart cannot make a fair estimate.

Dealing with insurance companies

If you suffered injuries in an accident, you may have been surprised at the quick response of the insurance company. An adjuster may have been standing at the foot of your hospital bed, check in hand, offering you a settlement based on the insurer’s estimate of what your injuries are worth. While the settlement offer may be higher than the online estimate, your best move may be to consult with an experienced attorney who has not only seen enough accidents to know when an insurer is making a fair offer, but he or she knows the tactics of the insurance industry. You will have a fierce advocate who will not shy away from fighting for what you deserve.

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