After a car wreck in West Virginia, the other driver’s insurance company may call you quickly with a settlement offer. It can be tempting to take the money and put the accident behind you. However, a fair settlement should cover much more than just your first hospital bill or the cost of fixing your car.
A legal claim is meant to compensate you for all of your losses, not just the obvious ones. Understanding what you truly deserve is the key to protecting your family’s financial future. In West Virginia, your compensation has typically three main types.
1. Your medical bills: Past and future
A settlement should cover all your medical costs related to the wreck. This includes the ambulance ride, the emergency room visit, any surgeries and follow-up appointments with your doctor.
It also includes the estimated cost of any medical care you will need in the future. If your injury will require years of physical therapy or prescription medications, that expense should be part of your settlement today.
2. Your lost wages: Immediate and long-term
You are also entitled to be paid back for the income you lost while you were unable to work and recovering from your injuries. This includes any missed paychecks or time you had to take off for doctor’s visits.
If your injury is serious enough that you cannot return to your old job or must take a lower paying one, you can also seek compensation for that loss of future earning ability.
3. Your human losses: Pain and suffering
This is compensation for the way the injury has affected your actual life. That includes the physical pain, emotional stress and the inability to do the things you once loved, like playing with your kids or working in your garden. This part of a settlement is meant to cover the real human cost of your injury.
Understanding the true value of your claim
Knowing what your claim is truly worth is the first step in protecting yourself. If you have been seriously injured in a car wreck, consider speaking with an experienced attorney to make sure all of your losses are accounted for.