5 Signs That Show You Are Undervaluing Your Personal Injury Claim
In South Carolina, personal injury cases come with more than medical bills and lengthy paperwork. They also come with individuals and companies who work around the clock to pay you less than you deserve. Considering how it can seem that everything is happening at once, the chances are you may not even know your case is undervalued.
To help prevent an undervaluation of your personal injury claim, keep reading to recognize the 5 key signs that may indicate you’re not getting the full value of your case.
- You Focus Only on Medical Bills
Recovery is an essential aspect following a personal injury incident, which is why many focus on medical bills when valuing their case. While there is no denying the huge role doctor visits, physical therapy, and hospital stays play when determining compensation costs, you should note that it is not all there is. “If all that is considered is medical bills, that is a sign of undervaluation,” says personal injury attorney Charles W. Whetstone, Jr. of Whetstone Perkins & Fulda.
In South Carolina, personal injury compensation includes much more: lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and even loss of enjoyment of life. A South Carolina personal injury lawyer can carefully assess the entire impact of your injury, ensuring your claim accounts for both visible and hidden damages.
- The Insurance Adjuster Seems Too Friendly and Offers to Settle Quickly
No matter how kind or warm insurance adjusters appear to you, they are after their own interests more than your well-being. If you notice that insurance adjusters are being too friendly and offering quick settlements, that is a red flag to look out for. Many times, they do this because they know your claim is worth a lot, and a quick settlement prevents you from realizing this.
Contacting an attorney helps to value your case and ensure proper negotiations are done to get the true value of your case from insurance companies.
- You Have Not Considered Future Medical Costs
A classic mistake in personal injury claims is underestimating long-term medical needs. Whether you were injured in a bicycle crash or a workplace incident, you must think beyond the first round of treatment.
South Carolina law allows recovery of future medical expenses, including surgeries, rehabilitation, medications, and mobility aids. Many injury victims fail to account for these ongoing costs, only to face mounting bills after settling.
A personal injury attorney in South Carolina can work with medical experts and life care planners to project future costs accurately. That way, they can ensure you do not settle for today’s medical bills while ignoring tomorrow’s.
- You Did Not Include the Worth of Pain and Suffering
For many victims, it is always challenging to value their pain and suffering, so they sometimes overlook it. By working with a personal injury attorney, you can establish methods and precedents to calculate pain and suffering damages. Factors include the severity of your injury, how long you experienced pain, how it disrupted your life, and whether you will experience permanent limitations. Where all of these elements are present, South Carolina courts can award significant non-economic damages.
- Punitive Damages Have Not Been Considered
In South Carolina, personal injury victims can recover punitive damages where gross negligence or intentional misconduct is established. Although capped and aimed at a deterrent effect, not including this cost means you are not getting the true value of your case.
A personal injury attorney can help you understand punitive damages provisions in South Carolina. A lawyer can also help you ensure you meet all the legal requirements and deadlines to maximize your compensation.
Conclusion
Sometimes, compensation cannot make up for losses suffered in a personal injury claim. However, what is worse than dealing with this situation for the rest of your life is knowing that you could have gotten more, but you undervalued your claim. It can sometimes get difficult to properly value your claim, which is why you should consult a personal injury lawyer. They can review every aspect of your claim, speak with professionals, and come up with a proper valuation for your claim.
