After you have been injured in a West Virginia car accident, you are probably looking forward to how your claim will turn out and whether or not you will be able to receive compensation for your losses. Unfortunately, even with a number in mind, you might not receive the reimbursement you deserve and expect for your losses. This is because several factors could impact the amount that you will receive.
When another person’s negligence leads to your accident and injuries in West Virginia, it is important to know what to expect in the midst of your claim because there is nothing better than being prepared. This is why we want to share with you some factors that could impact your settlement amount.
What Can Impact the Amount You Receive for Your Injuries?
The severity of Your Injuries: The injuries that you have sustained go hand-in-hand with your ability to recover. If you have received a slight concussion, for instance, you are likely to receive less for your injuries than somebody who has received a permanent traumatic brain injury. Some other severe and sometimes-permanent injuries that impact individuals every day include burns, spinal cord injuries, head and neck injuries, and more. If you are expected to make a full recovery in a shorter amount of time, you might not receive vast amounts of compensation.
Good Medical Records: Your medical records are among the most important pieces of evidence that you have to prove what you deserve during your case. If you do not seek medical attention after your accident, how will you prove that you actually sustained injuries and damages? This could impact your claim severely, which is why it is always imperative to seek immediate medical attention after your accident.
Evidence of Fault: The evidence you have showing that the other party is responsible for your accident is something that can have a huge impact on your claim as well. Strong types of evidence that you might use to prove your claim include accident reports, surveillance videos of the crash, eyewitness accounts, pictures of the accident scene, and more.
Your Own Fault’s Role: If you have played any role of fault in your accident case, your settlement amount might not be as high as you expected. In fact, usually, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
Actions After an Accident: The actions that you engage in after an accident can impact the amount you receive as well. For instance, if you are not consistent in relaying the events of your accident and your story changes a lot throughout the process, there is a chance that you will not be taken seriously in the eyes of the court. On the other hand, if you apologize for your accident and your insurer finds out, you might have just accidentally admitted fault for the accident – and will not like the results that follow.
Turn to a West Virginia Car Accident Attorney for the Help You Deserve
Our West Virginia car accident attorneys at Katz, Kantor, Stonestreet & Buckner understand how difficult it can be to face the aftermath of an accident that happened due to the outright negligence of another party. When you are feeling lost and wonder how you can receive the damages you deserve, our personal injury attorneys are here to assist you. Please contact us at (304) 713-2014 for more information on how we can assist you.
