A sudden injury can turn your life upside down in seconds. In addition to the pain, you may be looking at expensive medical bills, time off work, and no promises for a complete recovery. If you were hurt in an accident that is someone else fault, Massachusetts law allows you to seek compensation from them through a personal injury claim.
Typically, claimants pursue compensation by filing a claim with the responsible party’s insurance company. A full and fair personal injury settlement will provide money that compensates you for your physical, financial, and emotional losses.
The majority of personal injury claims settle long before a lawsuit is necessary. However, insurance companies fight aggressively to reduce the amount they have to pay to claimants. You need to know the best ways to increase the value of your personal injury settlement so that you aren’t under-compensated.
Read on for some tips from the attorneys at The Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan. For personalized legal advice, call or contact us today for a free consultation.
Keep Track of Your Medical Costs
The cost of medical treatment for a severe injury can be staggering. It’s critical to include the full cost of your medical treatment in your settlement demand. This includes money for past and current treatment, hospital stays, doctor’s visits, transportation, surgeries, rehabilitation, lab work, X-rays, diagnostic tests, prescription medication, and more. If you need continuing care due to your injuries, an attorney can help you calculate the projected cost of future medical treatments.
Don’t Leave Out Your Emotional Losses
Your medical bills may be responsible for most of your financial strain after an accident, but the law also allows you to collect for intangible losses like pain and suffering. Putting a dollar amount on pain and suffering after an accident is not easy. Keeping a daily pain journal throughout the recovery process could document the extent of these “invisible” injuries.
Present the Best Possible Evidence
The stronger the evidence in a personal injury claim, the better chance you have of maximizing your settlement. Police accident reports, medical records, proof of lost wages, photos and videos from the accident scene, witness accounts, and other documentation could all help make a compelling case.
Some evidence, such as private cell phone records or corporate documents, is not easy for a private citizen to obtain. An experienced personal injury lawyer can subpoena vital pieces of evidence to support your claim for maximum compensation.
Never Accept the First Offer
You’ll never get a fair settlement offer from the insurance company on the first try. You can counter-offer, but you’ll need to explain why the first offer is inadequate. This might mean providing additional evidence to justify why your injuries and losses merit more compensation. When the insurance company is stalling or refusing to budge, a personal injury lawyer may be able to step in to get the process moving again.
Contact Our Personal Injury Lawyers Today
The Massachusetts personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan have been helping accident victims get justice for more than 30 years. Call or contact us today to learn how we can help maximize the value of your personal injury settlement. The first consultation is free.