Car Accident Settlement Calculator: Figure Out Your Car Crash Case Value

Car Accident Settlement Calculator : Figure Out Your Car Crash Case Value

In this video, car accident lawyer Scott DeSalvo gives infor on a car accident seettlement calculator and tells you how to calculate the value of a car accident case.  

Every case is different, and no video or article on the internet can substitute for the advice of a good lawyer. There are some things that lawyers look for in a car crash case that helps them have an idea of the relative strength of the case, and also, some ballpark idea of the value of a case.

I made a Case Setlement Calculator to give you some idea about case value.  Check it out below.

Injury Case Settlement Calculation Requires INFORMATION...

The truth is that no injury lawyer can really tell you exactly what your case is worth until they have gotten all of your medical bills and records, reviewed them, and have done a full analysis of your car accident to determine what the approximate value it.  Sometimes, lawyers will try to ‘sell’ the injured person on case value to get them to sign their contract, but the truth is, you have to put in the work to really have a good estimate.

Complicating matters is the fact that sometimes, a really bad case turns into a very good one as the case is investigated and as treatment progresses.  And the opposite is true, as well.  Sometimes, a doctor gives bad testimony or doesn’t support a case, or a witness comes forward who really hurts your chances at trial.

Even though it sounds self-serving, talking to a car accidednt lawyer about your car crash case in a Free COnsultation is the best way to get an idea of the value of your case.

But here are some guidelines that can help you understand how to evaluate whether your case is good or not.

In a car crash case, who is at fault and in what percentage is key to figuring out whether you have a good chance at recovery. 

That’s because Illinois is a “Comparative Fault: State when it comes to personal injury cases.  That means that each person or entity (like a business) which has some responsibility is assigned a percentage of fault.  If the injured person is found to be more than 50% at fault, then they recover nothing at trial. Otherwise, all at-fault people or businesses are assigned a percentage of their fault from 100% to 0%, and the total has to add up to 100%.  If an injured person is found to be 400% at fault, then their award of damages is reduced by their percentage fault — i.s., 40%.  So you can see that knowing this information is pretty important.

The amount of medical bills and wage loss is very important as well.

The general rule is that the more medical bills, medical treatment and lost time from work, and the more permanent the injury, the more potential value the case has.  Everyone understands this.  Big cases are worth more, little cases, usually, are worthless.  if you break a bone or have surgery, that adds value.  That sort of treatment is expensive.  Also, long hospital stays can really be expensive, and we claim every penny of those charges in your personal injury case.

Finally, the nature and seriousness of the injuries is the last piece of the puzzle when determining case value in a car accident case.

It is easy to understand if you think about it.  If you recover from a sore neck, that may be a case that is worth some money.  But if God forbid, you end up with a bad neck for the rest of your life, a case like that HAS to be worth more money.  Finally, if your neck is ruined to the point that you need surgery and even after the surgery, you cannot work or run or exercise or go bowling, but instead, you are stuck at home or in a wheelchair or using a walker, that is devastating and can mean a large verdict or settlement.

Here is something to keep in mind:  I get calls from people who pretend that they do not have a lawyer, and they tell me about their case.  Then, at some point, they ask me what the case is worth.  I will always ask them how much are their medical bills total, and did they lose time from work.  Then, I always ask them whether they are still under the care of a doctor for the injuries they sustained in the car accident.  Any Chicago car accident lawyer worth his or her salt will ask very similar questions.  But then, when they finally tell me they have a lawyer, I immediately tell them that while I can provide general information, only their lawyer, who has access to the medical bills and records, can possibly analyze the case at the level it must be to give an injured person any sort of realistic understanding of the case strengths and weaknesses and what it might be worth at trial versus in settlement. 

It is important to keep in mind the Settlement amounts can be less than trial amounts because you are buying certainty and a sure recovery because you never know what a Jury might do with a case. 

So guaranteed money means possibly a little less than you might get a trial, but nothing at trial is guaranteed.

Give the video a watch.  It explains all of this in much more detail and might be able to answer some questions you have if you have been in a Chicago car accident.  I don’t’ want to make you read an entire book on this web page.  That’s why I do so many YouTube videos because it is easier to learn about personal injury lawyer by watching and listening than just reading.

If you have a question or need help on a case, give me a call at 312-500-4500.  The call and consultation are free. Or submit your case for review to my office with the button below.