After suffering spinal injuries in a Georgia accident, determining an average or good settlement can be difficult. Fortunately, our personal injury attorneys can help evaluate your claim so you claim what you are owed.
Unfortunately, there is no formula for deriving the right settlement amount. Each case’s value will depend on the circumstances of the accident and the severity of the spinal injuries. However, you will likely be entitled to a wide range of damages considering the seriousness of most spinal injuries. For accidents caused by extremely reckless conduct, you could also be entitled to punitive damages.
If you recently sustained spinal injuries in a Georgia accident, our Georgia personal injury lawyers can help determine a fair value for your claim. For a free review of your case, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
What is an Average Settlement for Spinal Injuries in Georgia?
Unfortunately, there is no exact way to determine a fair settlement for spinal injuries suffered in Georgia. Each personal injury case is unique, and the circumstances of how your spinal injuries occurred and their extent will greatly influence the outcome of any settlement negotiations. Other factors like your own liability, the defendant’s conduct, and the evidence you have to support your claims can also seriously impact a settlement offer you receive.
With that said, it is common for victims of a spinal cord injury to need significant compensation to see them through. Victims often experience pain and emotional suffering that can last well after their injuries have healed. This can affect almost every aspect of a victim’s life, from interfering with their personal relationships to limiting their ability to work. A good settlement offer will be one that takes into account the long-term suffering you will likely experience and compensates you accordingly.
Depending on the nature of your spinal injuries, you could require compensation for damages that far exceed six figures. Suppose a settlement offer does not consider your economic and non-economic damages. In that case, it might be necessary to file a lawsuit to recover the full range of damages you are entitled to. Our Atlanta personal injury attorneys are prepared to review your case to help determine what fair compensation for your spinal injuries is.
What Damages Can I Recover in a Settlement for Spinal Injuries in Georgia?
The damages you could recover in a settlement for spinal injuries in Georgia can typically be separated into economic and non-economic damages. In Georgia, these are known as special and general damages, respectively. If your spinal injuries were caused by truly appalling conduct, punitive damages should be included in any settlement offer that wishes to be fair. However, an accurate assessment of your injuries will need to be made so your current and future damages can be properly compensated. Our personal injury lawyers can help you gather and review evidence of your spinal injuries to determine the compensation you deserve.
Special Damages
Special damages refer to the financial losses associated with the spinal injuries that you can claim. This typically includes current and future medical expenses, compensation for lost wages and lost future earning potential, and out-of-pocket expenses you incurred during treatment. Medical bills can mount rapidly for spinal injuries, leaving victims with astronomical costs that seem to have no end in sight. In many cases, spinal injury victims will require surgeries and lengthy physical therapy to recover fully. In some cases, they might never fully heal, no matter how much medical attention they receive for their injuries. You should only consider accepting a settlement offer that compensates you for long-term care and potential treatments you will require in the future.
General Damages
A fair settlement offer will also include general damages, which compensate you for the non-economic harms your injuries have caused. These damages are also referred to as “pain and suffering” damages. General damages are subjective, and the amount you are offered will depend on how serious your injuries have impacted your life. It is common for spinal injury victims to experience emotional trauma, humiliation, physical pain, and other negative consequences their injuries have caused. While it is hard to put a price tag on general damages, victims have as much right to recover compensation for their pain and suffering as they do their monetary damages.
Fortunately, Georgia does not cap the amount of special and general damages victims can recover. Thus, you should consider filing a lawsuit if you are not getting a fair settlement offer for your injuries. Our Columbus personal injury lawyers can evaluate your case to get an accurate calculation of all your damages and determine if filing a lawsuit will be the best way to recover them.
Punitive Damages
Although it is rare, punitive damages might be called for if your spinal injuries were caused by extremely egregious conduct on the part of the defendant. Punitive damages are awarded to plaintiffs not to compensate them for their losses, that is what the other damages are for, but to punish the defendant. The other goal is to dissuade other individuals from committing similar behavior in the future.
If you believe your case calls for punitive damages, evidence of egregious conduct can be used to increase the settlement offer you receive. In many cases, it is obvious when the defendant’s behavior goes beyond mere negligence. For instance, if a drunk driver caused a victim’s spinal injuries, punitive damages would absolutely be warranted in that case. Most insurance companies would rather include punitive damages as part of their settlement offers rather than let a jury decide on the issue.
Unlike special and general damages, punitive damages are capped in Georgia. Currently, punitive damages are capped at $250,000. However, 75% of any punitive damages you are awarded typically go to the Georgia state treasury, with the remaining 25% going to the plaintiff. Our Savannah personal injury lawyers can help determine what damages you can claim and aggressively pursue the compensation your spinal injuries require.
Our Georgia Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help
If you suffered spinal injuries caused by another person, our Alpharetta personal injury lawyers can help you with settlement negotiations or at trial. Contact Howe Law today at (844) 876-4357 for a free case assessment.
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