There’s no formula that gives you an exact number of what your car accident case is worth. Any St. Louis car accident lawyer that promises you a certain number is probably just trying to get your business. There are certain factors that push a case’s value up or down, and once you understand them, you’ll have a much better sense of what your claim might be worth.
Reach out to our firm today at (314) 300-6260 for a free case evaluation.
The Severity of Your Injuries
Injury severity is one of the most significant factors that will affect the value of your claim. A case involving a full recovery after a few weeks of treatment is worth far less than one involving surgery, hospitalization, a permanent injury (paralysis, etc…), or a long rehabilitation. It isn’t just the size of the medical bills, either. Serious injuries mean more time off work, more disruption to your life, more pain, and often future medical needs, and every one of those adds to the claim.
Your Total Losses, Not Just Your Bills
The value of a case is built from everything the crash cost you. That includes your medical expenses to date, the treatment you’ll need going forward, the income you lost while recovering, any reduction in your ability to earn in the future, your vehicle damage, and compensation for pain and suffering. People who calculate their claim by just adding up the bills they’ve received are almost always going to undervalue it.
The Strength of Your Evidence
Two identical injuries can produce very different settlements depending on how well they’re documented. Consistent medical treatment, records that clearly connect the injuries to the crash, proof of missed work, and evidence of how the injuries affected your daily life all make a claim worth more because they make it easier to prove. Gaps in treatment and undocumented complaints give the insurer reasons to discount the claim.
Your Share of Fault
Missouri follows a pure comparative fault rule, which means your compensation gets reduced by whatever percentage of the crash was your fault. If your damages are $100,000 and you’re found 30% at fault, you can recover $70,000. This rule is exactly why insurance adjusters work so hard to pin part of the blame on you. Every percentage of liability they can shift to you is money they don’t have to pay out.
The Insurance Coverage Available
A claim is also shaped by the insurance available to pay it. If the at-fault driver carries only minimum coverage and has no assets, that policy limit can become a practical ceiling on recovery, no matter what your damages are. This is where your own coverage can matter, too. Underinsured motorist coverage, if you have it, can make up some of the difference.
The only way to know what your case is actually worth is to have an experienced attorney review it. A personal injury lawyer in St. Louis can do that and tell you honestly what range your case falls in and what it will take to actually recover that money. Before you accept any offer, get legal advice.
Call today at (314) 300-6260 to schedule a free consultation.