Personal injury settlements and awards reflect the unique facts of the case that generated them. Due to the wide variety of factors that can impact the value of your case, there really is no average personal injury settlement.
Some of these factors include:
How much insurance the at-fault party has. Insurance is how most personal injury settlements and awards are paid. While it is possible to file a claim against an uninsured person and even to obtain a judgment in your favor, collecting that judgment will likely be impossible as most people do not have the money to afford someone else’s injury costs.
The severity of your injury. Particularly severe injuries not only tend to result in higher expenses for medical treatment, but also more time missed for work, more quality-of-life impacts, and a greater risk of permanent disability. Because of this, the severity of your injury very much impacts the amount of compensation you are eligible to pursue.
The clarity of liability. In Florida, you can be partially responsible for the accident that caused your injury and still seek compensation from other liable parties.
It is not unusual to obtain an early settlement offer almost immediately. However, obtaining a settlement offer that fairly reflects the severity of your injury and the impacts and expenses you have incurred is often a different story. Settlement negotiations take a lot of time in most cases, and can continue to take place even after the trial has begun but before a court’s decision. How willing you are to wait until the best offer comes can greatly affect the amount you ultimately receive.