I want to be clear, most car accident cases never see the inside of a court room. Indeed, a majority of accident cases settle before a lawsuit has to be filed. But every case is different, and you should treat your case like it’s going to court from day one. Here’s why.
The value of your case is based upon what a jury would give you.
Whether your case settles depends on if you’re willing to take the amount offered. To know whether an offer is fair, you have to consider what a jury would award you at trial. This is because the insurance adjuster in your case is basing the value of your case relative what you’d win at trial.
Stated another way, for them, your case is a mere number. The pain you went through, the medical bills you injured, the joy you lost is primarily only relevant to them because they are thinking, “what would a jury award?”
How do I know what a jury would award?
You have read somewhere on the internet that your case is worth three times your medical bills. You may also find some other algorithm to employ. However, in reality, there’s no scientific answer to this question.
There are no two juries that are exactly alike. On a random day of the year, random jurors are selected to serve on your case. They have different education, life experience, cultures, etc. So, the best thing you can do is put yourself in the shoes of a juror listening to the facts of your case.
James, how do you evaluate a car accident case?
To be clear, because of the point above, this is never an easy thing to do. However, I’ve tried a lot of cases, I’ve read a lot of cases, and I have fellow attorneys who have done the same. I consider similar cases, and I do my best to estimate.
Also, I ask people like yourself. Remember, jurors are usually not attorneys. They are regular citizens. So getting opinions from non-attorneys tends to be really useful.
Well, James, I don’t want to go to court. What should I do?
The answer is easy: accept the low-ball offer from the insurance company. Or give up your claim all together. I’m, of course, joking. But in reality, neither I nor any other attorney can force an insurance company to be fair. I will advocate for you, and if they don’t make a fair offer, I will bring your case to court. To be clear, however, I have a much better shot at getting you a fair offer if you make it clear that you’re willing to go to court.
Do you have more questions?
Should you have any other questions, feel free to reach out to Abrenio Law at 703.570.4180 for your FREE Consultation. We look forward to hearing from you. You can also read more about Owner James Abrenio here.