An accident settlement could come up to quite a lot. When people are involved in a car accident in Columbia, several things pass through their minds. First, they want to make sure that everyone is okay. Second, they want to see how bad the damage is to their car. Finally, they want to know what’s going to happen with the driver who caused the crash. This is where our Columbia auto accident attorneys enter the picture.

Most people who are hurt in a car crash say they want justice. What they really mean is they want the other driver to pay. This is especially true if the person suffers serious injuries during the car wreck. It’s only natural that our clients want to know how much their case may be worth. The problem is that, since every case is different, it’s impossible to tell anybody exactly what their case may be worth.

The other thing a lot of people don’t realize is that most car accident lawsuits in Columbia settle long before they go to trial. This makes it even harder for Columbia auto accident attorneys to estimate the value of a particular case. There’s no telling what’ll happen once settlement negotiations are underway.

Here, we’ll talk about what things can affect a car accident settlement. We’ll also give you an idea of what your case may be worth, depending on the facts of your case. If you have additional questions after reading this article, feel free to give our office a call. You can always schedule your free, initial consultation with one of our seasoned Columbia injury attorneys.

It Can Be Very Difficult to Determine the Precise Value of Your Car Accident Lawsuit

If you’ve been hurt in a motor vehicle accident, you’re probably shaken up quite a bit. It’s one thing to survive a collision. It’s quite another to deal with the aftermath of a crash. Once you have time to settle down, you start to wonder about all sorts of things.

Some of the questions our clients ask during the initial consultation include:

• How much is my case worth?
• How long will it take to get my money?
• Who do we have to sue?
• Will I get my money in a lump sum, or do I have to wait for payments over time?
• Who’s going to pay my medical bills?
• What am I going to do about work?

These are reasonable questions. If your Columbia auto accident attorney was in your position, they’d wonder about the same things.

Most of the above questions are all dependent on whether your Columbia injury attorney can prove negligence. If they’re able to do this, they’ll still have to prove your damages. Neither of these things is a guarantee. It takes a lot of work, a lot of preparation, and a lot of evidence to accomplish this. Thankfully, your car accident lawyer in Columbia knows how to do this.

How Do You Prove Negligence?

To prove negligence, your attorney will have to demonstrate all four elements. First, they need to demonstrate that the defendant owed you a duty of care. This is not a difficult burden to meet. All drivers owe a certain duty of care to other motorists. At a minimum, they need to obey all traffic laws. Second, they need to prove that the defendant breached this duty. This can be proven by showing the defendant was speeding or drunk driving at the time of the crash.

The third element of negligence has to do with your injuries. Your lawyer will need to prove that you suffered an injury. They also need to prove the fourth element, which involves causation. You need to demonstrate that you wouldn’t have gotten hurt had it not been for the defendant’s actions.

If your lawyer can prove all these elements, you’ll have a case for negligence and can demand damages.

Your Settlement Amount Depends on Your Injuries

When it comes to discussing the average settlement for a Columbia car accident, there are a lot of factors to consider. Every car accident case is different. People suffer different injuries. One accident victim may suffer a broken neck while another suffers nothing but whiplash. This can make it hard to come up with concrete figures. however, there are certain injuries that are a lot more serious than others. These are the cases that carry the larger settlement amounts.

It’s a good idea to look at a few examples here. People who suffer whiplash and nothing else will be looking at a settlement of a few thousand dollars. Other victims who suffer neck and back injuries may collect a couple hundred thousand in damages. Another example would be somebody who suffers a broken wrist compared to somebody who suffers serious burn injuries. The person with the wrist injury can’t possibly expect to receive anywhere near the amount a burn victim would receive.

Clearly, people who suffer severe injuries will collect three or four times as much as someone with a minor injury. In addition, they’ll receive a lot less in the way of pain and suffering.

Pain and Suffering Will Make Up a Lion’s Share of Your Settlement

One of the reasons it’s hard to provide precise settlement averages is that many cases involve pain and suffering. A person who must deal with painful burn injuries or facial disfigurement is going to receive a lot more money for pain and suffering. Conversely, people who suffer broken bones or sprains won’t collect anywhere near as much as victims who suffer a traumatic brain injury. It’s all relative.

Call and Speak With an Experienced Columbia Injury Attorney Right Away

If you’re hurt in a serious car accident, there’s a good chance your Columbia injury attorney will settle your case. In fact, more than 95% of all car accident cases settle long before trial. It’s only natural to wonder what the average settlement is for a car accident case in Columbia.

The truth is that nobody can give you a precise answer to this question. There are too many variables to toss numbers out there. However, the general rule is that you’ll be entitled to more money if you suffer a very serious injury. If you suffer a minor injury, you’ll likely only collect a few thousand dollars.

What you need to do is call and talk to an attorney in our office to find out where your case falls. The initial consultation is free so you don’t have to worry about paying anything until your case settles.