What Is the Average Settlement for a Personal Injury Claim in Orange County?

A common question among personal injury claimants is how much their claims might be worth. The monetary value of your claim can determine your financial future, allowing you to plan for what comes next. Understanding the value of your claim can also help you determine if you need a lawyer, as well as if an insurance adjuster is offering you a fair amount. Each case is unique. Before you accept an insurance settlement, speak to an Orange County personal injury attorney to find out if you are accepting a fair and reasonable amount.

What Are Orange County Personal Injury Claims Worth?

There is no accurate average settlement on personal injury claims. Every case and client is so unique that the results can vary significantly. Some injured victims have recovered a few thousand dollars through successful insurance settlements while others have received verdicts of millions for catastrophic damages. Your case could be worth $10,000, $250,000, $1 million or more. It could also be worth under $10,000, making you eligible to file in the Orange County Small Claims Court. Dozens of factors could affect the overall value of your personal injury claim, including:

• The extent and severity of your injuries
• How long you will experience symptoms
• The degree and duration of pain and suffering
• How much the injury has impacted your life
• Whether you have a temporary or permanent disability
• If you have permanent scarring or disfigurement
• Your age and income level
• Whether you can return to work
• If the accident caused the death of a loved one
• The limits of the defendant’s insurance policy
• Whether or not you hire an attorney

The best way to calculate the value of your Orange County personal injury claim is by consulting an attorney. A personal injury attorney will have the experience and legal knowledge to accurately gauge what your injury and damages are worth under the law. A lawyer can assess your damages, review expenses, and calculate an accurate value of your economic losses. Then, he or she can estimate what your pain and suffering damages are worth based on all applicable factors. Knowing how much an attorney believes your injury case is worth could give you greater negotiating power during an insurance settlement.

Types of Compensation Available

Although no average personal injury settlement amount exists, it is possible to break down the types of damages you may be able to recover. This can help you calculate your losses and understand what your case might be worth. Compensable damages remain the same across the civil justice system in California. An insurance company will calculate a settlement based on the same compensable damages the civil courts use.

• Loss of time at work: Many personal injuries take the victim out of work temporarily or permanently. You could recover for the wages you had to miss during sick days, as well as the difference between what you earn now (with your injury or disability) and what you were making before.
• Medical bills: A settlement or verdict could include an award to cover the costs of all past and future medical bills required to treat your injuries. Calculate in this estimate any doctor’s visits, x-rays, medical tests, medications, surgeries, specialists, and/or disability accommodations.
• Pain and suffering: An award to cover your non-economic damages from the personal injury, such as the physical pain and anguish you endured as well as any psychological suffering.

A personal injury settlement in Orange County could also include amounts to cover property damages, loss of consortium, lost enjoyment of life, legal fees, travel expenses, wrongful death damages, and more. If you believe you have grounds to make a personal injury claim and wonder what your settlement could be worth, ask a lawyer near you for a free consultation.