Motor vehicle collisions in Kentucky may inspire numerous kinds of financial pressure. The damage to a vehicle can cost thousands of dollars to repair. In some cases, insurance adjusters may determine that damage to the frame or other significant vehicle issues leave the vehicle unsafe to drive after the crash. Motorists may then need to purchase replacement vehicles.
The worse the damage to the vehicle, the greater the risk of injuries to vehicle occupants. Emergency trauma care and rehabilitative services after a car crash injury can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Those with injuries could miss weeks of work or may face a noteworthy reduction in their long-term earning potential. They may need to file insurance claims or personal injury lawsuits to cover their costs.
How can people determine what their claim is worth when preparing for a lawsuit or negotiating with insurance providers?
Look at the big picture
There are likely many estimates, invoices and bills generated in the days immediately after a crash. Those financial records can help people estimate their current expenses. They may also need to look at their long-term losses.
Injuries may require ongoing care and may also increase support expenses later in life. Injuries during adulthood can lead to more functional limitations after retirement that make long-term care necessary earlier than it might be for others who did not sustain traumatic injuries.
Injuries may also permanently reduce earning potential, and some people may not be able to return to work at all. The total value of a claim can account for all property damage and injury-related expenses.
In cases where no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) coverage is insufficient, people affected by the crash can file a liability insurance claim against the driver who caused the crash. If that is also not enough given the scope of their total losses, then a lawsuit may be necessary.
In that scenario, plaintiffs may also be able to request compensation for their non-economic damages. Those may include pain and suffering, disfigurement and loss of enjoyment of life. Litigation also allows people to request punitive damages if there is clear and convincing evidence that the party who caused the crash did so due to gross negligence, fraud or malice.
Accurately estimating the value of a motor vehicle collision compensation claim can be difficult for those dealing with injuries and the other practical consequences of a wreck. The guidance of a car crash attorney can be useful for those concerned about estimating their losses, maximizing insurance settlements or preparing for an injury lawsuit.