What Is the Average Personal Injury Settlement Amount?

April 13, 2022
What Is the Average Personal Injury Settlement Amount?

There is no average personal injury settlement amount as each accident and injury is different. Several factors can affect the compensation you can recover:

  • The severity of your injuries
  • Whether you can work
  • Your age 
  • Your job
  • Your contribution to the accident or your injuries
  • Your damages
  • The liable party's policy
What Is the Average Personal Injury Settlement Amount

Your Injuries and How They Affect You

The more severe the injury, the higher the amount of compensation, in most cases. For example, if you suffered a traumatic brain injury that requires you to take a lower paying job, you will likely recover more than you would if you suffered a broken leg and only needed to take four weeks off work.

Whether You Are Able to Go Back to Work

If you have to retire from the workforce, you can recover compensation for the wages you would have earned throughout the rest of your life.

Your Age and Profession

Your age and your profession also affect your settlement amount. If you are close to retirement, you will recover less in diminished earning capacity than you would have if you were in your 20s or 30s. 

If you have a higher paying profession, you will likely recover more than someone with a lower paying profession. 

Our team can help you determine what your diminished earning capacity total may be. 

Whether You Contributed to Your Accident or Injuries

If you contributed to your accident or injuries, you may recover less compensation. A lawyer from our firm will help you determine if this may apply in your case.

The Damages You Can Recover

The value of each personal injury settlement is determined on an individual level. This means that you will receive a settlement based on the factors that are specific to your case. Potentially recoverable damages include:

  • Medical bills incurred when treating injuries caused by the accident
  • Recurring medical costs like medication, physical therapy, and follow-up visits
  • Any damage to property that happened during the accident
  • Lost income due to time spent recovering from injuries
  • Potential income lost if the injuries caused loss of limb or body function
  • The mental or emotional damage caused by the accident

The Policy You Recover Compensation From

The insurance policy can also affect how much you can recover. For example, if you are injured in a truck accident, you may be able to file a claim against the trucking company's insurance. This will allow you to potentially recover a higher amount than if you filed against the truck driver's personal insurance policy. 

Sit Down With a Member of Our Team to Calculate Your Estimated Settlement

While settlement calculators on the internet can be fun to use, they may not be of much help to you. The amount you can recover is based on each individual case but also on what the liable party is able to pay. This is why it is important to have a personal injury lawyer evaluate your case. 

The range of possible settlement values varies greatly, and it can be confusing. Dolman Law Group attorneys can help you better estimate the amount of your settlement. 

How does a Personal Injury Lawyer Determine the Value of My Claim?

Your personal injury attorney will review each of the factors and come up with an average amount for you. To determine a fair settlement value, an attorney from our firm will investigate and gather evidence such as:

  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Medical records
  • Expert witness testimony
  • Eyewitness accounts
  • Invoices
  • Bills
  • Your current salary and missed income 

Your settlement can be different from another person's settlement even if you have similar cases. And victims in multi-car accidents can have different settlements depending on their injuries and the medical bills accrued. It always comes down to your unique damages.

Should I Accept the First Settlement Offer?

In most cases, the first settlement offer will not cover the entirety of your injuries and losses. Insurance companies often offer injured parties less than they deserve. Many injured parties accept these initial offers without realizing that they do not cover much of their damages.

We recommend you have our team review any offers you receive. We will evaluate the offer to ensure it covers the damages you sustained. If it does not, our team will negotiate for a higher settlement.

Call Dolman Law Group to Get Your Compensation

If you or your loved one needs a personal injury attorney, contact us. Dolman Law Group's attorneys work to ensure that all our clients get the settlements they deserve. Contact us today to start your free consultation for your personal injury claim.