If you’ve been injured in an accident in Denver and you plan to file a personal injury claim against the negligent party who caused your accident, you may need some guidance on calculating the value of your Denver personal injury claim. It’s essential to have an idea of how much your claim is worth before moving forward with a lawsuit so you know how much money you deserve and how much to fight for.
Speaking to an experienced Denver personal injury lawyer can be key when assessing the value of your claim because lawyers know how to look at each factor of your accident and combine these factors into one settlement estimate. If you try to estimate the value of your claim on your own, you’ll likely be off base and end up settling for less than you deserve when you officially sue the defendant.
Did You Contribute Fault in Your Accident?
The first thing to consider when calculating your claim value is whether you contributed fault in your accident. While many people may hesitate to file a claim if they contributed fault, you don’t have to back away just because you were partially responsible in your accident.
Colorado has a modified comparative negligence law that allows all victims to recover compensation for their damages after an accident as long as you’re less than 50 percent at fault. The court will calculate your percentage of fault and deduct this percentage from your overall settlement.
You can determine your percentage of fault by considering the level of your negligence compared to the other negligent parties in your accident.
Pinpointing Other At-Fault Parties
To pinpoint other at-fault parties in your accident, you may need to investigate your accident and gather evidence such as photographs, video footage, and witness testimonies. This evidence can reveal who was involved in your accident, how the wreck occurred, and who you can sue for your damages. An individual may be at fault, but it’s also possible that a company or a government entity is at fault.
Accounting for Your Damages
Once you’ve identified your percentage of fault and any other liable parties in your accident, you can begin accounting for your damages, which will determine your settlement amount. Your damages may be economic or non-economic.
Economic damages often include medical expenses, property damage, and lost income. Non-economic damages often include pain and suffering, loss of consortium, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and scarring and disfigurement.
Reach Out to a Denver Personal Injury Attorney
Although the predicted value of your claim may not be accurate to what you ultimately win, it’s helpful to have a number set in your head so you can fight for this amount and know what you deserve. When you know the value of your claim, you’ll know not to accept less than this amount from insurance companies or the defendant.
Attorneys are experienced in negotiating for their clients and working hard to get the most out of a settlement. You’ll likely feel more comfortable when you have the support of a strong legal team by your side.
