Missouri Car Accident: How much is YOUR claim worth?
Cardin & Payne Attorneys are lawyers who focus on personal injury and accident cases
Lawyers-Cassville, Shell Knob, Table Rock Lake and all of Southwest Missouri
Ultimately, a jury, or attorney speculation of what a jury would do, determines the value a case. Most, if not all, settled cases involve the lawyers speculating as the value of the case based in part on what a jury would do. So, what is your case worth? Well, that question will go unanswered by this writer--every jury is different and the value of every case is different.
No attorney can know the exact value of a case based upon an initial consultation only. The attorney can speculate, but certainty is not part of the personal injury attorney's vocabulary.
Back to the original question, what is your case worth? Well, the value is base on the strength or weakness of a number of factors:
-How strong is the evidence showing liability?
-Are you, even partially, at fault for the accident?
-How much are your medical bills?
-How much time have you missed from work?
-Have the injuries resulted in any permanent medical condition or disability?
These are just a few (and I stress, a few) of the all important questions needed to be answered before speculating as to the value of your case. The only certainty to this question is provided when the insurance company's check clears the bank.
As a general principle, a skilled attorney will often get more money offered to settle your case the closer the case is to being submitted to the jury. Again, this is a general principle.
Let's say a 40-year old Missouri man is rear-ended at a stoplight in Springfield, he goes to the ER and is diagnosed with a broken leg. He follows up with a orthopedic surgeon for care. Surgery is followed by physical therapy and months later the man reaches "maximum medical improvement." The man will walk with a limp for the rest of his life. He misses two weeks of work.
His medical bills total $20,000 and lost wages around $2,500. Assume with me for the point of this illustration that 100% liability is on the "other driver." And the case has been filed and a trial is scheduled 4 months out.
This case could be worth anywhere between $0.00 and $1,000,000.00. But I would guess a settlement of $50,000 to $200,000 is in the range of "probability." I know that is a wide gap, but it is true. It takes a skilled, zealous advocate to know how to argue your case. It takes a savvy and trained negotiator to know how to settle your case.
