The Average Mild Brain Injury Settlement Amount
Traumatic brain injuries have the potential to leave a lasting impact on you or your loved one. When trying to figure out how much you can receive in your brain injury settlement, there are several different factors you must keep in mind.
Instead of doing that on your own, it may be best to reach out to a reputable attorney to help you. If you or someone you love recently suffered a brain injury at the hands of another person or company and you want to learn more about calculating brain injury settlements, please continue reading below. We will cover all you need to know about brain injury compensation and who you can reach out to for more help.
What Can I Receive in a Brain Injury Settlement?
The amount of money you can receive in a brain injury lawsuit depends on several factors. For example, the severity level and liability judgment can impact the amount of money you receive as a settlement.
Types of Brain Injury Settlements
As stated above, the amount you could receive in a settlement depends on your injuries. Three types of brain injury settlements are mild, moderate, and severe.
Mild Brain Injury Settlement
If you suffer from a concussion due to an accident, that is considered a mild brain injury. The settlement value of this type of case depends on the length of recovery and if any ongoing symptoms require additional care. For some, the symptoms go away within a month or two, whereas for others, it can drag on for much longer.
Moderate Brain Injuries
Moderate brain injuries include decreased attention spans, insomnia, mood disorders, and chronic pain. These cases tend to win more money than a mild brain injury case would.
Severe Brain Injury Settlement
Those who suffer from a severe brain injury typically have a lifelong disability. Even if the person were to recover, the damage would severely impact their quality of life.
When calculating a settlement for this type of brain injury, your attorney will consider the degree of impairment. Depending on the brain injury’s severity, this could include factoring in memory loss, coordination difficulties, and more.
What Can I Claim for My Brain Injury?
There are several different damages you can recover for your Houston mild brain injuries. There are two main categories of damages that you can make claims under: non-economic and economic.
Economic Damages
Economic damages entail anything that you can put a price tag on. For example, you can easily calculate lost wages and the loss of earning capacity. Under this category, you can also claim any current or future medical expenses to take care of your injury.
Additional economic damages:
- Property damage
- Cost of special equipment
- Rehabilitation
- Physical therapy
For loss of earning capacity, your brain injury lawyer will need to bring in a vocational expert to testify how much you may have expected to make based on your employment, education level, and opportunity for advancement.
Non-economic Damages
Non-economic damages are a bit more complicated to calculate as they are not as concrete as economic damages. An example of non-economic damage is pain and suffering.
Other types of non-economic damages:
- Emotional distress
- Loss of normal life
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Humiliation
To help calculate how much you should receive for non-economic damages, your skilled brain injury lawyer may have your friends and family testify on your emotional state and how you can’t correctly enjoy activities you once enjoyed. When you work with a reputable Houston mild brain injury attorney, they will make sure to calculate your damages correctly so you can receive the compensation you need over the long term.
Car Accident Brain Injuries
If you suffered a brain injury resulting from a car accident, you should reach out to an attorney as soon as possible. Your attorney will work with you and the other driver’s auto insurance company to help determine liability. Brain injuries in a car accident typically occur when your head hits the back of your seat, the steering wheel, the window, or the side door.
Should I Hire a Brain Injury Lawyer?
Although you technically don’t need an attorney to make a claim against someone else’s auto insurance or against whoever caused your injuries, you have a better chance of receiving a higher brain injury settlement if you partner with an attorney. Most clients assume that hiring an attorney is too expensive, but that is far from the truth.
There are plenty of reputable Houston mild brain injury attorneys out there who work based on a contingency fee. This means that they do not take any payment from you unless you win your case. Even when you win, they deduct their expenses from your settlement offer instead of asking you for compensation.
Benefits of Hiring a Brain Injury Lawyer
Hiring a brain injury lawyer to handle your case has several different benefits. For example, they have the knowledge and expertise to fight for a fair settlement. Your attorney knows the law, and they know what types of damages to claim on your behalf.
Objectivity
The last thing you want to do when you’re hurt is to get on the phone and deal with the other party about your injury claim. You also most likely want to get the whole ordeal over with so you can move on and focus on healing. The problem is that many insurance companies prey on your weakness and pain and will try to lowball you.
They know you want to get the claim over with, so they will offer you a settlement that sounds good but is way below what you deserve. Attorneys don’t have the same feelings attached to the situation because they are objective to the case, and this means they can sort through the facts to determine your case’s best course of action.
Can Provide the Best Medical Care
Although lawyers aren’t doctors, they work with a vast network of doctors. They know what type of care you need and can point you in the right direction.
Your attorney has your best interest in mind, so they will want to make sure you get the proper care you need. They will also work it out with the doctors to ensure you get the best care possible. Your attorney will ensure that the other party pays for your medical expenses.
Can Represent You in Court
Most cases get settled outside of court to help keep costs low and avoid lengthy trials. If your case goes to trial, you can count on your attorney to best represent you and take care of the case on your behalf.
Dealing with complex legal paperwork is difficult, especially if you have no law or courtroom experience. Leave that job to the professionals while you worry about recovering and taking care of your family.
Unclear Liability
If there is any question of liability, you should reach out to an attorney for help. As mentioned earlier, they will be there to help you prove your case on your behalf. It is best to reach out to an attorney because they will make sure that they prove your innocence in the accident.
The other party’s insurance company will do everything they can to build a case against you and put the blame on you so they can save their company money. If you believe that the other party is at fault for your injuries due to negligence, you will want to make sure you have a knowledgeable and reputable attorney on your side to help build your case.
Saves You Time
Unless you have a lot of time on your hands to request medical documents, medical charts, and police reports, you may want to reach out to an attorney to help you with your case. Handling a brain injury lawsuit is more than submitting evidence and statements; you have to build an entire case, which can take a lot of time.
Communication back and forth with the other party’s attorney or adjuster can also take up a good bit of your day. It is best to hand these tasks over to an attorney and their law firm while you focus on healing.
Reputable Houston Brain Injury Attorneys
Brain injuries can impact you or your loved one, no matter how mild or severe. Not only are you in pain and trying to heal, but you are also probably out of work and trying to keep your household together.
Trying to figure out your brain injury settlement on your own is no easy feat, and it’s something you should not have to do on your own. If you or someone you love recently suffered from brain injuries and need help with your lawsuit, contact us for a free no-obligation consultation. Our team is here to answer any questions or concerns you have.