What factors can impact the value of my personal injury settlement in New Hampshire?

An injury caused by someone else's negligent or reckless behavior can be life-changing. Whether you were hurt in a traffic collision, slip and fall, dog bite, or any other incident, you may be entitled to a settlement.

You will need to consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer who can help you build a strong legal claim, however. Your attorney can place a value on your personal injury claim after reviewing the details pertaining to your injury.

Which factors will impact my settlement?

Your attorney will take these factors into account when determining the value of your case:

• Medical costs: This is one of the most critical components of the value of your case. Medical costs may be reimbursed for the treatment you have already received. In addition, you may receive compensation for the estimated cost of future medical care associated with the injuries you sustained. They can include an initial medical evaluation, X-rays, MRIs, surgery, medications and physical therapy.
• Wage loss: Your attorney will factor in wage losses resulting from your injury if you're unable to return to work. This also includes any future loss of income.
• Non-economic damages: New Hampshire currently doesn't have a cap on non-economic damages. This means that you may receive compensation for pain and suffering, emotional anguish, loss of life enjoyment, and loss of consortium (the impact an injury has on your relationship with your spouse).
• Property damage or loss: Your car, personal items, and articles of clothing may have been damaged when you sustained your injury. You may be reimbursed for any damage to property or loss of property.
• Enhanced damages: You may be awarded enhanced damages in cases where someone's reckless behavior caused your injury. This can include incidents involving a drunk driver, a violent attacker, an aggressive driver, or another party who purposely engaged in the behavior that caused your injury.
• Comparative fault: In New Hampshire, you may receive compensation if you are 50 percent or less at fault. Any fault you contributed to the incident that caused your injury could impact your settlement, however.

Why should I hire an attorney?

You can't rely on the insurance companies to decide how much compensation you should receive in a settlement. Insurance companies only care about reducing their own costs and will likely omit some of the damages associated with your injury. They may either downplay the extent of your claim or try to offer a small settlement that covers only a fraction of your medical costs and wage loss. In some cases, they may even attempt to deny your claim altogether.

That's why you need a highly skilled legal advocate on your side who can launch a thorough investigation into the incident that caused your injury. The legal team at Burns, Bryant, Cox, Rockefeller & Durkin, P.A. can do this by examining the location where your injury took place. We can gather evidence by obtaining surveillance footage, obtaining a police report, examining your medical evaluation and speaking to witnesses.

Our attorneys have more than a century of real courtroom experience. Our law office is located in Dover, New Hampshire. To find out how we can help you, contact us online and schedule a consultation with our legal team.