It’s a common question we hear at the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya: How much is my case worth?
There’s no standard answer and each case is different. There are a lot of factors that go into arriving at a number. But I can tell you a little about how we develop an amount to demand from the insurance company.
First we do a full investigation of the accident, get police records, interview witnesses as necessary and, depending on the situation, hire experts like accident reconstructionists..
Next we look for all insurance policies that may cover the accident, beginning with the atfault party’s coverage, the at-fault party’s employer if he was on company time, your own insurance policy’s uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and sources like a resident relative’s insurance policy.
Then we review your medical records and analyze the medical treatment you’ve received, as well as the costs of treatment you may need in the future. In some cases we hire experts like life care planners to review your future needs. We factor in physical impairment and loss of function you may have suffered. We look at what income you have lost by being off work following the accident. And we look at many other factors such as loss of enjoyment from activities you used to do.
At that point we calculate a settlement value we think is fair and reasonable for you. We discuss that value with you and then prepare what’s called a demand letter for the insurance company with that settlement value.
Getting you treated and better, calculating the value of your losses and finding the money to pay for those losses is complex and takes a lot of time. But to be sure you get all the money you’re entitled to, it’s worth the extra time.