Information About Pennsylvania and New Jersey Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, and Criminal Defense Cases
Personal Injury Lawyers in PhiladelphiaIf you have suffered a serious injury in an accident where someone else was to blame, you have medical bills and other expenses to pay. You are probably considering legal action for compensation to pay these. A lawyer is someone who knows something about bringing these cases, and also about what a jury might say.
The first part of the answer is easy: your case is worth what a jury says it is worth. With some limits, a jury can award more than you demand, less than you demand, or exactly what you demand.
But most personal injury cases do not go to trial. The parties negotiate, get to know both sides of the case, and agree to a settlement that approximates what they think a jury would award. Here are the factors:
What are your losses?
Property damage is usually the least of your worries. Your car or other property can be replaced. But most people have to work for a living, and an injury affects your ability to do so, at least temporarily. Medical care is extremely expensive, and you may need extensive care now and in the future.
If you are no longer able to work, what was your income before? Would you have worked for another 20 years? Another 40? If you are young, you have less savings and you have lost more future income.
How strong is your evidence and your case?
Were there witnesses who can tell a jury that it was completely the other person's fault? Do you have photographs or other physical evidence? Have similar cases occurred where your side won a significant victory?
Who is your lawyer?
If you go to trial, your lawyer has to deal with motions, objections, and other courtroom maneuvering. If he or she is negotiating for you, his skills are just as important. Does the other side know that he is inexperienced, or hesitant to go to trial? If so, the chances of getting a satisfactory settlement are less.
Gay, Chacker & Mittin, PC, attorneys know that it is one thing to understand the law, and another thing to put the law to work in a given case. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in wrongful death, contact us.
Call 866-371-5853 or Contact Us for a Free Consultation With a Seasoned Lawyer
