Posted on Monday, December 3rd, 2018 at 12:09 am
When another party’s negligence or recklessness injures you, you may receive compensation. California’s personal injury laws allow accident victims to file a Sacramento injury claim for a variety of losses and damages. Damages that are compensable in a Sacramento injury claim include:
- Cost of medical care
- Loss of income
- Permanent disability or impairment
- Physical pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Emotional and mental suffering
- Other financial losses and expenses
Calculating the Value of a Sacramento Injury Claim
The value of your Sacramento injury claim depends on several factors. Four of the top factors that impact the value of your personal injury claim are:
- Whether you are partially at fault for the cause of the accident.
Under California’s pure comparative fault laws, your compensation decreases by the percentage of fault assigned to you for the accident. For example, if you are 30 percent at fault for the accident, the maximum compensation for your claim is 70 percent of your damages.
- The available insurance coverage.
If the other driver carries minimum insurance coverage, the insurance provider is only obligated to pay compensation up to the policy limits. You can try to collect compensation from the driver. However, if the driver carries minimum insurance coverage, he may not have assets that could be seized to satisfy a judgment.
Therefore, it is wise to carry maximum uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to protect against drivers who carry the minimum insurance coverage or drive without insurance coverage.
- Type and Severity of Injuries
In most cases, the value of a Sacramento injury claim increases when the victim suffers a permanent disability. Ongoing medical costs, future lost wages, and a loss of earning capacity can substantially increase the value of an accident claim. In addition, the value of pain and suffering damages increases for traumatic injuries and permanent impairments.
- Out-of-Pocket Expenses
Accident victims are typically entitled to receive compensation for financial losses related to the accident, their injuries, and their recovery. Other out-of-pocket expenses that are generally compensable in a Sacramento injury claim include travel expenses, help with household chores, personal care, medications, medical equipment, and personal care services. In many cases, the length of your recovery impacts the value of your accident claim. You continue to incur expenses during your recovery.
Do You Need a Sacramento Car Accident Attorney?
If another driver injured you, it is important to understand your legal options for recovering compensation. However, it can be difficult to calculate the value of a Sacramento injury claim if you have never filed an accident claim. Therefore, hiring an experienced attorney who understands the various factors that impact the value of a claim can increase your chance of recovering a fair and just amount for your accident claim.
For a free legal consultation, you can contact The Tiemann Law Firm by calling (916) 999-9000 or by visiting our website. In most cases, our Sacramento personal injury attorneys accept cases on a contingency fee basis. Therefore, you do not need to worry about paying our attorney fees unless we recover money for your claim.
