My neighbor got 100,000 in their injury case so I’m going to get that same amount, too? For many people who are dealing with an injury caused by the carelessness of another person, placing a value on their injury case can be a confusing thing to accomplish. Adding to the confusion can sometimes be the helping nature of neighbors, friends, and associates.
When word of mouth is used to suggest an attorney to a friend who has been injured, it has been my experience that if the referring party has used an attorney in the past, their case experience can sometimes be the basis of the new client’s understanding of the process. So if the person doing the referral received say, $100,000 for their case, then the potential client may think that their case is automatically worth the same amount. The truth of the matter is that this may not be the case.
EACH AND EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT
The fact that your neighbor received $100,000 for their case may have little support for what your case is worth. As mentioned above, each and every case is different. The facts are usually different, as are the legal issues. As a result, these things can drastically alter the value of a case.
HOW DO LAWYERS GET TO A NUMBER AS TO CASE VALUE?
One mystery for a lot of people is how lawyers get to the final numbers as to the value of a case. The following are some of the things lawyers take into consideration when factoring damages (for the purpose of this educational article damages are the harm/injury done to you):
- Medical Bills (Past & Future)
- Lost Wages (Past & Future)
- Medical Treatment (Past & Future)
- Information Contained In A Life Care Plan (If applicable)
The above is not a complete list, but some of the main areas covered.
MY NEIGHBOR GOT 100,000 IN THEIR INJURY CASE
Hopefully now you can see why there is no way you can assume that just because my neighbor got 100,000 in their injury case that this will automatically hold true for you. Maybe your neighbor has future care that is not applicable to your case. Or maybe you have lost wages which were not an issue for your neighbor. Each case is different!
HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
To speak with me further regarding a Maryland medical malpractice or birth injury case, give me a call at 301-850-4832. I answer questions like yours all the time. Add to this I would be happy to listen to your story.
Marcus B. Boston, Esq.
Boston Law Group, LLC
2 Wisconsin Circle
Suite 700
Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815