People who suffer back injuries in accidents caused by others will often ask attorneys a lot of questions during the process of choosing a legal representative. At Eberst Law, prospective clients will typically ask us how much they can expect to receive in compensation for the injury that is causing their excruciating back pain. While this is obviously an understandable question, there’s no easy answer. The average back injury settlement can vary widely, but typical figures often range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the specifics of the case.
Clients can obtain anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 or more. The amount you may receive will depend on a long list of factors, and many clients want to know how much compensation they might realistically expect. There are some cases where people obtain millions of dollars, and others where they get far less than they expect. No attorney worth your while will ever promise to get you a certain amount of money.
At Eberst Law, we will always fight to help you obtain fair compensation. Once we learn the details of your specific case, we’ll be able to give you at least a general idea of how much you might be able to receive. An experienced personal injury attorney can help maximize your settlement by navigating the complexities of your claim and advocating on your behalf. Learn more by calling (772) 225-4900 or using our online form to schedule a free review of your case.
In the meantime, there are several factors that typically influence injury settlement amounts for back injury victims in a personal injury case.
Introduction to Back Injury Claims
Back injury claims are a specific type of personal injury claim that arise when someone suffers a back injury due to another party’s negligence. These injuries can result from a variety of incidents, such as car accidents, workplace accidents, or slip-and-fall situations. Navigating a back injury claim can be challenging, as it often involves complex medical evidence and negotiations with insurance companies. That’s why working with an experienced personal injury lawyer is crucial to ensure you receive fair compensation for your losses. Back injuries can range from soft tissue injuries to more severe spinal cord injuries, and the average settlement amount will depend on the severity of the injury, the extent of medical treatment required, and the impact on your daily life. If you’ve suffered a back injury, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages related to your injury. Understanding your rights and the claims process is the first step toward securing the compensation you deserve.
Types of Back Injuries
Back injuries can vary widely in type and severity, each carrying its own set of challenges and implications for your injury claim. Common types of back injuries include herniated discs, spinal fractures, soft tissue injuries such as sprains and strains, and more serious spinal cord injuries.
While soft tissue injuries may seem less severe, they can still cause chronic pain and limit your ability to work or enjoy daily activities. On the other hand, severe injuries like spinal cord injuries can lead to permanent disability, requiring ongoing medical care and resulting in significant lost income. The type and severity of your back injury will play a major role in determining the value of your claim and the amount of fair compensation you may receive. It’s important to have a clear diagnosis and thorough documentation of your injury to support your case and ensure you are compensated for both your medical expenses and the long-term impact on your life.
Medical Expenses and Treatment
Suffering a back injury often leads to substantial medical expenses, which can quickly add up. These costs may include emergency room visits, surgeries, hospital stays, physical therapy, and ongoing medical treatment. In addition to direct medical expenses, injury victims may also face lost wages if they are unable to work, as well as other economic damages such as lost income and benefits. Non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life, can also be significant in back injury cases.
An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you gather and document all your medical expenses and other damages, ensuring nothing is overlooked. They can also negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf to secure fair compensation for your injuries, including both economic and non-economic damages. Proper documentation and legal guidance are essential to recovering the full amount you are entitled to for your back injury.
Factors that Can Affect Your Back Injury Claim Value
Every personal injury case is different. That might not be what you want to hear, but it’s the truth. Anyone who says you’ll make “X” amount of money is simply not being realistic. While your attorney will have an idea of how much your case is worth, giving you a specific dollar amount will not be realistic. The settlement value of your claim is determined by multiple factors, including the specifics of your injury and the circumstances of your case.
Factors that will largely determine that amount include the following. These factors apply broadly to personal injury lawsuits and personal injury cases, where the details of each situation can significantly impact the outcome.
When evaluating claims, it is important to understand personal injury law, as it guides the process and helps ensure your rights are protected. The outcome of your claim may result in injury settlements or injury compensation, depending on the severity of your injuries and the legal process involved.
The Severity of Your Injury
In general, the worse your injury severity, the more compensation you’ll probably get. This is going to be the most important factor that will drive the amount of your settlement. Some back or neck injuries, while painful, are relatively minor. Others, such as a neck injury or spinal cord injury, can result in a lifetime of debilitation.
The injury’s severity plays a crucial role in determining settlement amounts. More severe injuries, such as more serious spinal injuries like herniated discs, fractures, or spinal cord injury, typically lead to higher settlements and more extensive medical care.
If someone has a minor back or neck injury, they might get a few thousand dollars. But if they’ve suffered permanent paralysis from a spinal cord injury, they could be looking at hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars.
In addition to the severity of your injury, your age will also play a role. Younger plaintiffs will typically get more money because they are less likely to already have a degenerative back condition. Insurance companies will do everything they can to either reduce your compensation or deny it entirely. If you have a previous back problem, the insurer will use that against you.
Who Was at Fault?
The balance of fault in a case will also have a huge impact. Florida is what is known as a “comparative negligence” state. This basically means that both parties involved in an accident, including the injured party, could possibly share part of the blame. Comparative negligence will partly determine how much money you receive. If you are found partially at fault, you can still recover compensation, but the amount will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
For example, let’s say you would obtain $100,000 if the other party was found to be 100% responsible for causing the accident. But you were assigned 20% of the blame. That 20%, or $20,000, will be subtracted from your compensation. So, that means you’d get $80,000 instead of $100,000. The process of seeking compensation as the injured party involves understanding how fault is determined and pursuing the appropriate legal avenues to maximize your recovery.
There are a lot of reasons why you’ll need a personal injury attorney – maximizing your compensation is at the top of the list. In many cases, filing a personal injury lawsuit is necessary to secure fair compensation for your injuries. In order to prove you’re not at fault whatsoever, you’re going to need hard evidence. Your attorney will be your best chance to gather the proof needed to make your case as strong as possible.
If you were on a motorcycle and hit by another motorist, having a skilled attorney by your side will be even more important. There are a lot of biases out there against riders, and these biases could work against you. At The Eberst Law Firm, however, we know how to defeat them, helping our motorcycle clients get the most compensation possible.
How Much Time You Had to Take Off Work?
Anyone who suffers an injury in an accident will have what are known as damages. This is a legal term that means monetary losses. There are a lot of different kinds of damages, such as medical bills, prescription costs, property damage and others.
One of the most important types of damages is lost wages. If you’ve had to miss work due to your injury, there’s probably a pretty good chance you’ve already gone through your vacation time and other paid time off. So, now you’re losing money because you can’t do your job. Your attorney will be able to calculate not only how much time you’ve lost, but how much time you’ll likely miss in the future. When calculating damages, it is also important to consider future medical expenses, as ongoing treatment and care may be necessary. These calculations will go a long way toward determining the amount of your injury settlement. Injury settlement amounts can vary widely depending on the specifics of your case, including the severity of your injury and the long-term impact.
How the Injury Has Affected Your Everyday Life
Even if it looks like you’ll “only” have a short-term injury, that could still result in significant damages. But there are other considerations to keep in mind, even if this applies to you. The injury may keep you from doing the things you love, such as playing golf or going to the gym. You might have to pay someone to drive you around, since you can’t get behind the wheel.
There are not only tangible (economic) damages, such as the ones mentioned earlier, there are also subjective (non-economic) damages. These include emotional trauma, pain and suffering, and others. Non-economic damages often account for the physical pain you experience as a result of your injury. In many cases, both physical and emotional pain are considered when determining the total compensation, reflecting the comprehensive impact of your injury. An attorney can help you obtain compensation for any non-economic damages you’ve incurred, including pain and suffering damages, as well.
How Much the Injury Will Affect Your Life Long Term
Again, the severity of your injury will largely determine the amount of your compensation. There are some back injuries that are so severe, victims have to endure years of expensive treatment. They may need accommodations around the home in order to simply get around. They could also require extensive physical therapy, or at-home medical care around the clock. These factors could increase the amount of compensation a victim receives exponentially, especially when insurance coverage is thoroughly evaluated to maximize available benefits.
For example, in a car accident claim, the extent of insurance coverage and the severity of the injury play a crucial role in determining the value of a back injury settlement. Back injury settlements can vary widely, depending on factors such as medical costs, liability, and the need for ongoing care. Injury compensation should account for all current and future expenses to ensure fair financial recovery.
The Injury Claims Process
The process of pursuing a back injury claim can be complex and often involves several important steps. After suffering a back injury, it’s essential to seek immediate medical attention and keep detailed records of your injuries and treatment. Reporting the incident to the responsible party or their insurance company is also a critical step. Consulting with a personal injury lawyer early in the process can make a significant difference in the outcome of your claim. Your lawyer will help you navigate the injury claims process, handle communications with the insurance company, and advocate for your right to fair compensation. They will work to ensure that all aspects of your back injury claim are properly documented and that you receive the maximum compensation available for your injuries. With the support of an experienced personal injury lawyer, you can focus on your recovery while your legal team works to protect your interests and secure the financial compensation you need.
Hire a Back Injury Attorney for Your Claim
Get in touch with a car accident lawyer at The Eberst Law Firm as soon as you can to learn more about how we’ll work to get you the money you deserve. The goal of hiring an attorney is to maximize your personal injury settlement, ensuring you receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Our experienced personal injury lawyers are dedicated to helping clients with back and neck injuries, as well as other serious cases, by providing expert legal representation. Contact us online or call (772) 225-4900 to schedule a free consultation.
