Statistics show that car accidents literally happen at a rate of one per minute. Some are catastrophic, while some involve property damage only, with the remainder falling somewhere along that continuum. As a result, it may be difficult to determine whether or not your injuries warrant filing a legal claim against the responsible person. When most people think of filing a personal injury claim after a car accident, the basic notion is to be able to receive compensation over and above what the individual has lost by way of damages, time away from work and medical treatment. However, it is important to realize that there are many issues that need to be taken into consideration before filing for a personal injury claim.

One article stated, “You’ve been injured in an accident. You missed some work, experienced a painful injury, but you didn’t need extensive treatment and suffered little if any, permanent physical harm. Is a legal claim against the responsible party worth pursuing? In personal injury cases, the defendant is accused of causing the accident and the resulting injuries, but it is the party’s insurance company that is providing the legal defense and paying out the settlement or jury verdict (up to the policy limit). The most important issue that one needs to take into consideration is what your potential damages may be.”

According to the Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, “Damages refers to the sum of money the law imposes for a breach of some duty or violation of some right. Compensatory damages are intended to compensate the injured party for loss or injury. For certain types of injuries, statutes provide that successful parties should receive some multiple of their actual damages. There are general principles governing what types of damages are awarded.” Therefore, it is wise before deciding whether or not to pursue legal action against the defendant to consider the extent of the damages you have suffered.

It is important to realize the insurance companies use some general guidelines in order to determine a rough estimate of what a claim might be worth. While there are many potential issues and every case is unique, the general guidelines still apply. The insurance company may pay a claimant for medical bills and related expenses, income lost due to the claimant being absent from work in order to get medical treatment and rehabilitation, any physical disabilities as well as scarring and disfigurement that may be permanent, the death of a family member as a result of the injury or accident, the replacement or repairing of damaged property as well as any associated emotional harm, stress or depression that is a result of the accident.

A Crowson Law Group attorney shared the following, “Most injured individuals assume that when it comes to deciding on filing a claim against a defendant the decision lies entirely with them. However, the reality is that lawyers and law firms have a different approach when it comes to determining whether they will take on a case or not. Some lawyers and law firms allow the determining factor to be the worth of the case; that is whether the case will yield hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars. Others focus on particular areas of the law, so rather than handling all areas of personal injury, some attorneys may focus on a specific area of personal injury such as medical malpractice.”

For legal advice and representation by the best personal injury lawyers in Alaska, do your research and contact a law firm with a track record of success.