What Is the Settlement in a Personal Injury Case Meant to Cover?

When you experience a personal injury, there are other unfortunate outcomes in addition to your pain and suffering. These outcomes may include property damage, medical fees, lost wages, and more. This is the main reason why people will file a personal injury claim with a lawyer.

Getting help with these unexpected expenses when someone else is responsible for your injury is essential to your future financial security. According to reports from the U.S. Department of Justice, only about 4% of personal injury cases ever need to go to trial. Most are settled out of court. Let's look at some of the expenses that a personal injury settlement is meant to cover.

Medical Bills

The most common type of expense to cover with a personal injury settlement is usually medical bills. The medical bills that are the result of your accident will be a big part of your case. The amount of these expenses will largely determine the amount of the settlement you receive. Upon receiving a settlement, you should immediately pay off any remaining medical expenses from your injury.

Financial Changes Due to Lost Wages

If your injury resulted in missed time from work, your financial situation may have changed significantly. You may have had to use savings that you normally wouldn't have used or started using credit cards to make up for the lost income. Using settlement money to rebuild savings and pay down debts you might have incurred during your accident is a smart financial move.

Property Damage

Sometimes when you're involved in an accident, you may experience property damage on top of your injuries. For example, if you were in a motor vehicle accident, chances are your vehicle may have been damaged or totaled by the other driver. A settlement can provide you with the money you need to pay for a new vehicle to replace your old one or to repair any damages your own insurance company may not cover.

Being involved in a personal injury accident can be overwhelming, frustrating, and even isolating at times. Fortunately, an experienced personal injury lawyer can argue your case to help you receive the best possible settlement, so you can focus less on your medical fees and property repair costs and focus more on recovering. If you've been the victim of a personal injury, don't hesitate to contact the Law Office of Arthur J. White III, P.C. today.