How is My Personal Injury Case Valued?
In the first stages of claim negotiations, the insurance adjuster calculates the total medical expenses related to the injury. These medical expenses are called “special damages”. Once this figure is established the adjuster can determine how much to offer the injured person for pain, suffering, and other nonmonetary losses.
The amount established for special damages is then multiplied by 1.5 or 2 if the injuries are minor. If, however the accident injuries have impacted the victims ability to function normally, then the adjuster will multiply the amount of “special damages” by a factor of 5, or as high as 10 in extreme cases.
Loss of income as a result of the injuries is then calculated. This amount is based on previous earnings and the estimated amount of time the victim will be out of work.
To recap, the insurance adjuster adds up the total sum of medical expenses and then multiplies it by 1.5 to 5, and then adds in loss of income. This initial number represents the baseline from which negotiations may start.
The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only. You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.
