Negligent driving behavior, such as distracted driving, drunk driving, or speeding, can result in a driver losing control and causing a car accident. Victims of a car accident can incur enormous costs in the form of damages, which are losses that result from personal injury incidents. Following a car accident, a victim may incur costs for medical treatment, lost wages from time away from work, and property damage. They may also have non-economic damages, such as mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and pain and suffering.
A car accident victim can file a car accident claim to recover compensation for damages from the at-fault party’s insurance company. How much a car accident victim can recover from a car accident claim depends on if there is a liable party, how many liable parties there are, and what damages they incurred. A car accident lawyer can help victims calculate their damages, determine the at-fault party, and prove the at-fault party’s liability. The car accident lawyers at The Russo Firm have experience litigating car accident claims across the United States and can use that experience to put you in the best position to recover fair compensation for car accident damages.
Car Accident Causes
Car accidents can result from negligent or intentionally harmful driving behavior. Reckless driving puts others at risk of harm, as the negligent driver could lose focus and do things behind the wheel that could result in them striking another vehicle.
The following are some of the negligent driving behaviors that could cause a car accident:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Drunk driving
- Drowsy driving
- Road rage
- Reckless driving
- Tailgating
- Not using turn signals
- Disobeying right-of-way laws
The cost of your car accident claim can change based on how the negligent driver caused the car accident. Some of these driving behaviors can cause more harm to those that get hit in a car accident. For example, speeding can cause a high-speed collision, with the power and force generated by a speeding car causing significant damage to vehicles and harm to people in the cars.
Car Accident Injuries
Another element that can determine how much your car accident claim can be worth is what injuries you suffer. Severe injuries can result in medical bills, pain and suffering, and time off from work that leads to lost wages. Car accident injuries are caused by negligent driving behavior that results in blunt force and penetrating trauma, whiplash, collisions with hard objects, and crushing impact between two hard objects.
The following are some of the severe injuries you can suffer from a car accident:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Knee injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Chest injuries
- Wrist injuries
- Facial injuries
- Upper extremity injuries
- Lower extremity injuries
- Infections
- Internal injuries
A personal injury lawyer can help you determine the cost of your severe injuries. They can do this by calculating the medical costs you’ve already incurred and speaking with medical experts to extrapolate what your future medical costs could be.
How Much Can a Car Accident Victim Recover for Damages?
The amount of money a car accident victim can recover for damages depends on the severity of the damages, whether the victim suffered a severe injury, and whether there is a liable party or parties. According to the Martindale-Nolo survey, car accident victims without severe injuries received an average of $16,700, and car accident victims with severe injuries received $29,700.
The above averages may not apply to your situation, as you may experience more or less harm and damages than the average car accident victim. A car accident lawyer can help you assess the situation to determine the true cost of your car accident damages. The most important factors in calculating damages are liability and damages.
Liability in a Car Accident Claim
The liable party in a car accident claim is the driver whose negligent driving behavior causes the car accident. Who the liable party is can significantly alter your ability to recover compensation. If an insured driver causes a car accident, you can negotiate a settlement with their insurance company and be in a good position to recover full compensation for your injuries. However, recovering compensation in car accidents with uninsured drivers can be a challenge, as the only way would be to get the money directly from the driver. They will likely not have the money to pay for the full cost of your damages.
Car accidents involving multiple liable parties can increase your ability to recover full compensation for injuries. You and your car accident lawyer can negotiate with all the liable parties, possibly earning a settlement from each representing the amount of fault they shared.
The following are some of the liable parties in a car accident claim:
- Other drivers
- Road construction workers
- Employers
- Car part designers, manufacturers, distributors, and sellers
- Mechanics
- Government entity
Damages in a Car Accident Claim
How much compensation you receive for a car accident claim has to do with what damages you suffer. These are current and future losses associated with the car accident. You can recover economic damages, like medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. These are monetary damages caused by a car accident. You can also pursue non-economic damages, which are intangible losses that have to do with how your standard of living was affected by a car accident. They can include mental anguish, loss of society, and loss of consortium.
The following are some of the car accident damages you can pursue compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Property damage to your vehicle
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Disability costs
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of society
How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help You Pursue Compensation for Damages?
Hiring a car accident lawyer can help with the process of evaluating your car accident damages and pursuing compensation. They have been through the car accident claims process many times and will know what steps to take to put you in the best position to recover fair compensation.
They can also negotiate with insurance companies looking to deny, delay, or devalue your car accident claim. Insurance companies use insurance adjusters to limit your settlement. An experienced car accident attorney can see through any limiting attempt and can do everything in their power to maximize your potential for recovering fair compensation for the full cost of your damages.
Contact The Russo Firm for Help With Your Car Accident Claim
At The Russo Firm, our car accident lawyers have experience helping car accident victims across the United States recover compensation for their damages, including in Garden City, New Orleans, Dallas, Miami, and Tampa. We will look over all of your damages to determine the correct monetary figure to pursue to ensure you recover fair compensation for the full cost of your damages. We will invest in your case by paying attention to the specific details of your case, investigating your case, and creating a personalized legal counsel plan that can put you in the best position to recover fair compensation.
We offer free consultations so car accident victims can learn how our car accident attorneys can help them seek compensation for damages. Contact The Russo Firm today for a free consultation at (561) 270-0913 or leave a message on our online contact page.
