There is no reliable average settlement amount for car accidents in Michigan. The details of each case are so drastically different that providing an average figure would be deceiving. Some accident settlements or verdicts can be hundreds of thousands of dollars, or millions of dollars. However, this does not guarantee the outcome of an individual’s car accident claim.
Your car accident case is unique, and it is difficult to estimate the value of your claim without reviewing all of your losses and having experts review damages.
A Michigan car accident lawyer can help explain factors that impact the average car accident settlement amounts on Michigan and discuss your potential losses.
Factors That May Affect the Value of Your Michigan Car Accident Settlement
While each settlement figure differs, a car accident attorney will account for several factors that typically affect settlement values.
The Nature and Severity of Injuries from Your Car Accident
The National Safety Council (NSC) explains how the severity of your accident-related injuries can directly affect your settlement value. Generally, more severe injuries are more expensive. Serious injuries may:
- Cause long-term unemployment.
- Cause intense pain and suffering.
- Require extensive medical treatment.
- Significantly diminish your quality of life.
However, even comparatively mild injuries can become expensive to treat. Medical expenses alone are often a significant chunk of the average car accident settlement amount in Michigan, as victims may have extensive, catastrophic injuries.
The Impact to a Car Crash Victim’s Livelihood
Many of our clients miss work after a car crash. The client usually loses income and other professional benefits because of their work absence. The extent of professional damages can depend on the following:
- How long the car accident victim is unable to work.
- How much the car accident victim earns.
- Whether the inability to work causes the victim to lose bonuses, promotions, and other performance-based benefits.
While this is a loss that has a direct financial value, some of these losses are difficult to estimate, especially when accounting for long-term losses.
The Victim’s Response to Their Accident and Injuries
Many victims of car accidents can develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), among other conditions. Many emotional and mental conditions can affect your enjoyment of life, your ability to work, and your relationships, among other concerns.
Sometimes, it can take years for a victim to recover physically, psychologically, and emotionally. These and other factors are something a car accident attorney will consider when evaluating your losses.
How an Attorney Accounts for Car Accident Settlement Damages
Attorneys don’t worry about average settlement values. Instead, our team evaluates how much our clients deserve with the help of various experts.
Reviewing the Value of Economic Damages in an Auto Accident
Economic damages typically have an exact monetary value. Such damages include the following:
- Medical bills
- Temporary transportation
- Lost income
- Decreased earning power
Sometimes, challenges arise when calculating economic damages. For example, if you are still recovering from your accident-related injuries, your attorney must calculate the cost of future medical care.
We let no challenge stand in the way of our fight for the compensation a client deserves. Instead, our team will work with experts to calculate your economic losses, including medical bills and vehicle repairs.
Assessing Noneconomic Damages for Car Accident Victims
Placing a monetary value on noneconomic damages can be incredibly challenging. How do you determine the cost of PTSD, physical pain, and other types of pain and suffering?
Our firm can explain how we’ll determine the cost of your pain and suffering and the methods we use to come up with a value.
How an Attorney Fights for a Fair Car Accident Settlement
Our lawyers have decades of experience representing car accident victims. We keep the client front and center as we handle every step of the legal process.
We will fight for your car accident settlement by:
- Obtaining evidence of liable parties’ fault: Our Michigan personal injury lawyers will actively seek video footage, eyewitness accounts, and other evidence proving who caused your accident.
- Documenting your injuries: Our team will work alongside medical experts to diagnose and assess your injuries.
- Documenting your damages: We will secure expert testimony, medical records, professional records, invoices for vehicle repairs, and other documentation of your accident-related losses.
- Calculating your settlement value: Our legal team will determine the exact cost of your accident-related damages. However, it might take time to calculate your damages, as we want to ensure the accuracy of our demand for compensation.
- Leading settlement negotiations: Our law firm serves as the voice of the unheard, and we speak loudest during settlement negotiations. We’ll push to secure the complete financial recovery that you deserve.
- Completing a trial if necessary: Our team approaches every case as if it is going to trial. Therefore, no unforeseen challenges can catch us off guard. Instead, we’re ready when the time to head to court comes. So, while we work to get the settlement you deserve, we never shy away from court.
You will have a leading voice in your car accident case, and our legal team will protect your rights throughout the legal process. Most importantly, we’ll fight to win every dollar you are entitled to receive.
Car Accident Settlements in Michigan Are Impacted By Each Party’s Negligence
When you are in a car accident and need to pursue a lawsuit for damages, you may face many challenges. One challenge is the modified comparative negligence rule. The other driver may try to blame you for the accident, saying you contributed to the crash, that they are not the only party to blame. This tactic is an attempt to reduce your compensation per Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 600.2959.
While victims can seek damages if they are partially responsible for the accident, their damages are reduced by the percentage of fault. Additionally, if the victims are found to be more than 50 percent at fault, they risk losing noneconomic damages. A lawyer can help fight back against unfair assignment of blame and make sure we are seeking full compensation.
Call Today to Discuss Seeking a Michigan Car Accident Settlement
Our law firm aims for much more than the average settlement figure. Instead, we fight for the settlement you deserve. We strive toward this goal and provide compassionate service and consistent attention.
Call Christensen Law today for your free consultation. Our team may face a limited deadline for filing your insurance claim or car accident lawsuit, so don’t delay. Contact us now.
