What Is My Motor Scooter Personal Injury Case Worth?

In most cases, the value of a case builds and is determined over time rather than at the very beginning of the claim or case. As a Florida Personal Injury and Motor Scooter Attorney, I am often asked this question at the beginning of the process. It is a common question asked. I typically explain that a personal injury case is like a movie. Let's say that you sit through the first 20 minutes of the movie. The characters seem interesting and the plot is building along the way. I then ask you to leave the movie and let me know what happened at the end of the movie. It is a bit of an unfair question that would require a bit of speculation. Just like it takes some time to sit through a movie and make a determination at or near the end of the movie as to a proper review of the movie. The same concepts apply to the valuation of a personal injury case. Unlike being a movie viewer, the personal injury victim will need to do more than just sit and observe. The accident victim will need to attend appointments with medical providers including but not limited to therapists, chiropractors, neurologists, pain management doctors, orthopedic surgeons, and others. Diagnostic testing is often ordered and performed to better diagnose the injuries / conditions and to set forth a proper treatment / care plan in light of the symptoms and testing results. The value of a personal injury case also depends on whether or not the injuries are permanent in nature or something less significant.

When evaluating a personal injury case, it must be done so for the individual client and case. For instance, let's say that surgery is recommended. This could have a significant impact on the value of the case and even more so if the surgery is actually performed. Another factor to be considered relates to the amount of automobile insurance coverage in place for the at-fault driver, the at-fault owner, and for the injury victim through other policies. It should be noted that a case does not have value just because there is a certain amount of insurance coverage. For instance, if the at-fault driver had $1,000,000 (One Million) in insurance coverage, this does not mean that the case is worth $1,000,000 or even half of the coverage available. It is important for the injury victim to obtain timely and consistent medical care from professionals skilled and experienced in the area of personal injury / trauma. Past medical treatment and bills as well as future medical treatment and bills will also be assessed in determining a value of a case. It should be further noted that there is no formula per se for the evaluation of personal injury case. At times, attorneys and adjusters will take the outstanding medical bills and multiply the bill by a factor of let's say three. This method is a bit rudimentary and fails to consider all of the factors that should be evaluated in determining an estimated value for a case. Certainly, there is no substitute for having an experienced attorney in place to advise you of the potential value of the case and how to best pursue the insurance claim or case. From a practical standpoint, the amount of insurance coverage should be considered when handling a case. For instance, if there is $25,000 in bodily injury coverage, a close eye should be kept on the amount of medical care and treatment obtained by the injury victim. If the case settles for the policy limits of $25,000, it will be most difficult to get a net recovery for the client if the medical bills exceed the amount of settlement.

Here is a list of factors that may be considered in determining what a personal injury case is worth:

• Past and Future Medical Bills
• Past and Future Wage Loss
• Past and Future Loss of Earning Capacity
• Past and Future Pain, Suffering, Mental Anguish, and Loss of Enjoyment of Life
• Type and Duration of Medical Care Provided
• Type and Duration of Medical Care Recommended in Future
• Pain Management Procedures Performed
• Surgical Procedures Recommended
• Surgical Procedures Performed
• Permanency of the Injuries
• Significance of the Injuries
• Presence / Prominence of Scarring
• Effect of Injuries on Activities of Daily Living

David Wolf is an attorney with over 30 years of experience in handling personal injury cases including those related to motor scooters, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrian, bicycles, automobiles, and trucks. David Wolf is the author of 12 books that focus on personal injury and safety issues. Attorney David Wolf firmly believes in Giving a Voice to Injury Victims and Their Families. Contact David Wolf right now for a free consultation at (904) 500-WOLF - (904) 500-9653 or by e-mail at dwolf@davidalanwolf.com Get D Wolf On Your Side - At Your Side.