Insurance companies will try to settle your Los Angeles claim quickly and cheaply. Learn how to calculate the true value of your car accident injury claim.
If you were injured in Los Angeles, the steps below can help protect your claim.
After a car accident, one of the first questions victims ask is: “How much is my case worth?” The answer depends on multiple factors, and understanding them helps you avoid accepting an unfair settlement.
Economic Damages
These are concrete financial losses: medical bills, future medical treatment, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and property damage. Calculate all current and future costs.
Non-Economic Damages
These compensate for intangible losses: pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and permanent disability or disfigurement. California doesn’t cap non-economic damages in most injury cases.
Factors That Affect Value
The severity of your injuries, degree of fault, quality of evidence, insurance policy limits, and your credibility all impact case value. Permanent injuries and clear liability increase value significantly.
Multiplier Method
Insurance companies often use a multiplier (typically 1.5 to 5) times your medical expenses to estimate non-economic damages. Severe injuries warrant higher multipliers.
Why You Need an Attorney
Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize payouts. They’ll use tactics like disputing fault, questioning injury severity, and making lowball offers. An experienced attorney knows the true value of your case and fights for maximum compensation.
Don’t settle without consulting an attorney. Initial offers are almost always far below what your case is actually worth.
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