In the aftermath of a serious accident, victims may need to deal with very stressful situations involving medical expenses, lost wages, and other such economic problems, while still battling to recover from their injuries.
It is because of this that personal injury claims exist to protect the right of victims injured due to the negligence of others. With the help of a competent Cincinnati injury lawyer, the injured party can walk away with sizeable damages.
In Cincinnati, Ohio, if a victim has been injured in an accident, they have the right to sue the at-fault party or their insurance provider. This is called a personal injury lawsuit, and it is the best way to seek compensation for all expenses related to the accident caused by a third party.
However, in such personal injury cases, determining what the bodily injury claim is worth may not be as simple as most people think.
Calculating the medical costs, for example, is just one of the many factors that an insurance adjuster will look at when determining the value of a personal injury claim.
This is why victims need an experienced personal injury lawyer on their side, to fight for their rights and make sure they are compensated fairly for their medical treatment and other damages.
Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys is well-versed in Ohio personal injury law and is ready to go to war for injured victims filing personal injury claims.
What Is a Claims Adjuster?
One of the first things victims need to know before asking "How do insurers value an injury claim?" is what a claims adjuster is and What does an insurance adjuster do? This is an employee of (or someone contracted by) the insurance company handling the bodily injury claim.
The claims adjuster is responsible for investing all the factors related to the personal injury claim, to adjust it to what the insurance company deems as fair compensation. This involves looking at a wide range of factors, from medical records to any out-of-pocket expenses shouldered by the victims.
Victims need to understand that the claims adjuster will work very hard to make sure the insurance company is held liable for less than what they have determined to be the potential risk to the policyholder. In other words, they are not on the victim's side but rather on the insurance company's.
This is why victims need a personal injury lawyer on their side, even in cases where they only suffered minor injuries. There are many methods used by the claims adjuster to calculate the value of a claim that victims may not fully understand, such as:
The Damage Formula
When using the damage formula, insurance companies will allocate a certain number based on the severity of the injuries suffered by the victim. They will then multiply this number by the total medical expenses paid by the victim. Lost wages, property damage, and other losses will then be added to give a starting point for negotiating the settlement amount.
The Multiplier Method
Another popular method used to calculate the value of the initial settlement offer is called the multiplier method. Here, the insurance adjuster will the value of all economic damages using things such as medical bills, cost of repairs, and employment letters for determining the income lost. Thereafter, they will assign a number between one and five to denote the severity of the non-economic damages. The two numbers will then be multiplied to give the compensation insurance adjusters think is fair.
The Per Diem Method
With the "per diem" method, all non-economic damages are calculated daily. In such cases, the insurance companies will be willing to pay the victim a certain dollar value for every day they are suffering from injuries from, for example, a car accident caused by the negligent party.
Factors Considered By the Insurance Company
The insurance adjusters have to gather evidence to help the insurance company determine how much to offer the victims who are seeking compensation. To do this properly, the adjusters will need to look at a wide range of factors, such as:
The severity of the injuries suffered, and the extent of medical treatment required
Total cost of medical bills
Statements from witnesses to the car accident (or other type of accident)
The location of the trial should the personal injury claim need to be resolved before a judge
Whether or not the victims have experienced lawyers on their side
The cost of repairs or replacements due to property damages
Any lost income that was caused by the accident
The expected timeline for recovering fully from the injuries
Other factors, such as emotional distress or pain and suffering caused by the injuries sustained by the victim
In extreme cases, any punitive damages that may be a factor if the personal injury claim goes to court
Medical Bills and Other Damages Victims Can Win
Victims of an accident in Ohio can launch personal injury claims to seek compensation for a wide range of damages, such as:
Medical expenses
Lost wages
Property damage
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Loss of enjoyment of life
Disability or paralysis
Disfigurement
Wrongful death
A Good Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
Importantly, victims should realize that many insurance companies and adjusters will turn a blind eye to any factors that may cause them to end up paying maximum compensation to victims.
If, for example, a health insurance company knows that certain details about the case will not work in its favor, these will simply be ignored unless the victim has an experienced personal injury lawyer on their side.
Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys will not stand by while insurance companies take advantage of victims of a car accident or other type of accident caused by someone else's negligence. Even in cases where the victim is partially responsible, this law firm will still go to war to make sure they receive full compensation.
Victims in Cincinnati, Ohio, can contact Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys today and ask for a free consultation.
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