My bills are piling up, and I have been unable to work because of my injuries. What is my car accident case worth?

The compensation you receive in a car accident lawsuit – whether through a verdict or settlement – should make you “whole.” In other words, it should come as close as possible to returning you to the position you were in before being injured by another person’s negligent driving. This amount will differ from case to case.

To determine the amount of damages that should be recovered in your case, your lawyer will examine many factors, including:

You may also be eligible to recover punitive damages. Unlike the above damages, these damages are not aimed at making you whole but rather at punishing the party who harmed you in an auto accident and deterring future misconduct. These damages typically are awarded where the at-fault party engaged in reckless or intentional misconduct such as drunk driving or road rage.

If you have lost a loved one in a crash, you would seek wrongful death damages, which consists of “just and fair compensation” for your own losses, including the loss of money, goods and services provided by your loved one.

It is important to note that any recovery would be limited to the amount of available insurance coverage, including the at-fault party’s liability coverage and your own insurance such as uninsured / underinsured motorist (UM / UIM) coverage.