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​Experienced ILLINOIS Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
& CHICAGO Injury Lawyers

What’s my Car Accident Case Worth?

Car Accident Lawyers Recovering Maximum Compensation for Injured Individuals in Chicago

At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, our goal is to help individuals injured in a motor vehicle collision protect their legal right to compensation. When another driver or entity negligently causes a crash and resulting injuries, victims are generally entitled to monetary compensation. The compensation available to accident victims is intended to place them in the position in which they would be had the accident not occurred. Our Chicago car accident lawyers recognize the physical and emotional devastation that accompanies a collision, and we can set forth a clear assessment that helps you understand the value of your car accident case. As we advocate for victims’ rights, we provide personal, dedicated legal representation.

Understand How to Assess the Value of Your Car Accident Claim

Factors that affect the value of a legal claim following a motor vehicle collision include the seriousness of the impact, the physical state of the victim prior to the accident, the extent of the injuries, and the degree of medical care and future costs associated with the collision. While these factors are by no means comprehensive, they indicate the importance of building a strong case by quantifying all of the costs. The true value of a car accident case also requires looking at similar verdicts, with facts that are similar to those of the case at hand.

Significant aspects of a car accident that shape the value of a legal claim for damages include the type of harm suffered in the crash and whether the victim was partly at fault for causing the collision. Often, insurance companies utilize formulas that assess the value of a claim for damages. A victim asserting a claim for damages must prove the fault of the defendant driver in causing the accident. They carry the burden of proof, which requires a strong showing of evidence, typically supporting a claim of negligence.

A car accident victim asserting negligence would show a failure to act as a reasonable person under similar circumstances. Conduct that may be deemed negligent includes failing to yield, speeding, and driving distractedly, among other careless driving behaviors. When a victim asserts the negligence of the defendant driver, they carry the burden of establishing the elements of a negligence claim, which include duty, breach, causation, and damages.

The purpose of damages in a personal injury claim is to compensate individuals who have suffered harm. While victims may not truly be made “whole” again, monetary damages are intended to cover medical costs, property damage, and emotional harm suffered in an accident. Medical expenses, which include surgery costs and prescription costs, are typically awarded to accident victims. Additionally, future care may be recovered, as estimated by a medical professional familiar with the victim’s injuries.

In addition to medical care, the effect of injuries upon the victim’s ability to earn wages is considered when valuing a claim for damages. Many injuries suffered in a highway accident or another high-speed crash can lead to a severe loss of future earning potential for the victim. These types of costs may be recovered in a claim for damages. In the case of future lost earnings, the issue is whether the accident directly led to injuries that undermined their ability to earn. Often, medical professionals can help strengthen a claim for future lost earnings.

Contact a Skilled Chicago Lawyer to Learn More About Your Right to Compensation

The experienced injury attorneys at Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca regularly represent people hurt by the careless conduct of others. Whether a case settles in private negotiations or continues through litigation, we aim to secure the true value of past and future medical costs, as well as missed work wages and emotional suffering resulting from a motor vehicle crash. By carefully interpreting medical evidence and witness testimony surrounding a car accident, our lawyers protect the rights of victims throughout Illinois, including those in Chicago, Quincy, Rockford, Springfield, Aurora, Champaign, and other communities throughout Sangamon, Winnebago, Adams, and Cook Counties. To better understand the value of a case arising from a distracted driving accident or another type of crash, contact our office by calling 312-724-5846 or completing our online form.