How much money should you be getting in an injury settlement? Should you stop at a settlement at all, or are there more details that need to be put into an existing settlement? Getting your money is just as important as physical recovery--and often a huge part of recovery since financial stress can still make you sick--and finding the right price point isn't always easy. Here are a few points to consider as you look through settlement offers and prepare your own demands.
Medical Costs Require Careful Research And Planning
The person or persons responsible for your injury should be paying your medical bills. That much is clear, but how much will the medical care cost? Is there are final cost at the end of an obvious recovery, or will there be years of testing, complications, or disability support to keep in mind?
Never assume the answer to any of those answers. Even for something as simple as a broken leg, there may be infections, muscle damage, and bone repair issues that don't go as planned--not because of the injury, but because of a way your body reacts to recovery that you may not have known if not for the injury.
Your legal opponent has no reliable way to know about your recovery potential if they're not your doctor, and you may not know, either. Because of this, you need to be flexible with your medical bill coverage costs and always round up. The bare minimum will be your current medical bills, and everything else needs to come from medical estimates.
You need to speak with specialists who may be consulting with your main medical professional in the background. Although they may be billing your doctor as consultants and appearing as background costs, you may not see their bill until well after the consultation happens. That doesn't mean waiting for the final bill; simply talk to your medical care team and explain your need for an estimate, and they can draft an estimate before the final bill to help your legal planning.
Asking For More Than Just Money
Financial compensation will always be one of the more difficult points. Especially if you may be disabled for years or for the rest of a hopefully long life, there may be costs that your legal opponent will fight tooth and nail to reduce.
You have a right to the money, but realistic costs are also an issue. You may not win a huge settlement simply because the money isn't available, and dragging it to court may not work, either. Instead, look for options to increase your own earning potential with the help of your legal opponent.
Make your legal opponent responsible for vocational rehabilitation, which can include college tuition. It could be a lot less expensive than asking for tens of thousands of dollars depending on the certification or degree, and your legal opponent could find various discounts on their own--or even research your scholarship potential--to put you through school.
With a good career choice, you could make a lot more money unless your previous career was a dream job with an amazing salary. Contact a personal injury lawyer or law firm like The Bernstein Law Firm to discuss not only flat cash settlements but vocational assistance as well.