If you suffer a personal injury and want compensation, an attorney will have to figure out how much the claim is worth. Before they can decide, a lawyer must collect and examine numerous pieces of information about the damages and losses. Here is a brief guide to how legal professionals evaluate cases before advising about settlement offers. 

Special Damages

Personal injury claims involve several categories of damages. The easiest one to calculate is known as special or economic damages. Examples include doctor and hospital bills, related transportation costs, wages and income lost due to the injury, and costs of repairing or replacing any compromised property. Attorneys collect all their clients’ related documentation, such as medical and repair invoices, to assess an appropriate value.  

General Damages

Unlike the former category, general or noneconomic damages are more difficult to calculate because they are subjective. Pain and suffering, emotional distress, and a decrease in quality of life are common elements. Attorneys often calculate such losses by multiplying them against the total amount of special damages. For example, if a lawyer determines it should be worth twice the sum and a victim accrues $50,000 worth of bills and lost wages, their legal representative will request $100,000 in compensation for their trouble.

Personal Injury Value  

For settlement negotiations, attorneys often compute personal injury claim values based on the total of general and special damages, multiplied by a number. The multiplier may range between two and five, or even higher for catastrophic cases. Since no two cases are alike, it’s essential to consult with a lawyer.  

At Goddard & Hammontree LLC, dedicated attorneys analyze evidence and evaluate information to make sound recommendations regarding the value of their clients’ personal injury claims. Based in Dalton, GA, these attorneys have 58 years of combined experience and offer quality legal advice and passionate representation to injured residents in the Murray County, area. Visit them online to learn more about their background and expertise, and call (706) 278-0464 today to schedule an appointment.