Your lawyer will review each factor that may influence the value of your compensation and how much your back injury is worth. This evaluation includes collecting evidence to prove your claim and using that evidence to help show the monetary value of your back injury.
Medical experts, for example, typically evaluate the severity of your injury and can provide an accurate diagnosis. Determining this value heavily relies on medical records, physician statements, and the required medical treatments. If you have sustained a severe injury, such as a spinal cord injury necessitating surgery, the value attached to your injury will be higher.
Medical bills are also relatively straightforward to calculate. It will include all medical bills related to your back injury, such as those for emergency treatment, surgery, medication, physical therapy, and follow-up visits. If doctors predict future medical needs related to the injury, these potential costs are important to include.
Your lawyer will also calculate lost income, such as factoring in the time you have had to take off work due to your injury. If there is a permanent change in your ability to work, your lawyer might consult an economist or vocational expert to evaluate how the injury will bear on your future earnings.
Not all factors are as straightforward, and that's where you need a skillful lawyer.
The back injury influences your life in somewhat subjective ways that lawyers call the loss of enjoyment of life. Typically, this measurement compares your life before and after the accident. If you were an active person who loved hiking, for example, but now can no longer do so because of the injury, this will become a part of the claim.
Pain and suffering is another complex factor to assign a value to, since it deals with subjective experiences. Lawyers might use a multiplier method, which involves multiplying the total economic damages (medical expenses and lost income) by a certain number that represents the severity of your pain and suffering.
Ultimately, each case is unique, and calculations in other claims should serve as a general guide. A qualified personal injury lawyer can provide a more accurate estimation based on your specific circumstances and the local laws.