One of the first questions injured accident victims ask is how much their case is worth. While every personal injury case is unique, understanding the factors that determine case value can help you know what to expect. Here is a breakdown of how personal injury cases are valued in New Jersey.
What Types of Compensation Can You Recover?
In a New Jersey personal injury case you may be entitled to two main categories of compensation — economic damages and non economic damages.
Economic Damages Economic damages are the measurable financial losses you have suffered as a result of your injury. These include medical bills and future medical expenses, lost wages and future lost earning capacity, property damage, rehabilitation and physical therapy costs, and out of pocket expenses related to your injury.
Non Economic Damages Non economic damages compensate you for the intangible ways your injury has affected your life. These include pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium for your spouse or family members.
What Factors Determine How Much My Case Is Worth?
Several key factors influence the value of your personal injury case in New Jersey.
Severity of Your Injuries The more serious and long lasting your injuries are the higher the value of your case. Catastrophic injuries like traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and permanent disabilities command significantly higher compensation than minor injuries.
Liability How clearly the other party was at fault plays a major role in case value. Cases where liability is clear and undisputed are generally worth more than cases where fault is shared or disputed.
Insurance Coverage The amount of insurance coverage available from the at fault party directly impacts how much compensation you can recover. An experienced attorney can identify all available sources of coverage to maximize your recovery.
Your Medical Treatment Consistent and documented medical treatment strengthens your case significantly. Gaps in treatment or failure to follow a doctor’s recommendations can reduce the value of your case.
Impact on Your Daily Life How your injury has affected your ability to work, care for your family, and enjoy life factors heavily into non economic damages. Keeping a journal documenting how your injury affects your daily life can be very helpful.
New Jersey Comparative Negligence Rule
New Jersey follows a modified comparative negligence rule. This means that if you are partially at fault for the accident your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. However if you are found to be more than 50% at fault you cannot recover any compensation at all. This is why having an experienced attorney investigate and establish liability is so important.
How Blaise Injury Law Can Help
Every personal injury case is different and the only way to truly know what your case is worth is to have an experienced attorney evaluate it. At Blaise Injury Law we offer free case evaluations with no obligation. Attorney Blaise Richards will review the facts of your case, explain your legal options, and fight to maximize your compensation.
Call (856) 340-5685 or visit our contact page to get started today.