Typical car accident settlement amounts vary too widely to even list a ballpark number. However, in general, car accident lawsuits often deal in large sums—anywhere from several thousand to hundreds of millions of dollars depending on the circumstances of the crash.
Osborne & Francis is a Florida-based law firm with nationwide reach and years of experience in personal injury cases, a large portion of which result from car accidents. In advocating for our clients, we thoroughly investigate each accident and seek the best outcome possible after a tragic incident.
In this article, we’ve laid out the areas considered in most vehicular accident lawsuits to give you a better idea of what amounts you may be awarded. For more specific information, call us today at (561) 293-2600. To learn what is calculated in the average car accident settlement, read on.
Watch our video to learn what to do after a car accident.
Continue reading to learn how an attorney can help you with your car accident case.
How Much Can You Expect From a Car Accident Settlement?
Most legal settlement negotiations happen pre-trial, but they can also happen mid-trial, especially if strong evidence is put forth by your attorney. How much to expect from a car accident settlement depends on your individual costs and injuries.The experienced attorneys at Osborne & Francis can help gather your receipts and calculate your potential ongoing costs. We may also investigate the cause of your accident to make sure the right party is held responsible.
Your individualized settlement may cover any or all of the following areas:
Medical Bills
Car accidents can cause catastrophic and life-long injuries. Even the most minor fender-benders can lead to whiplash, causing pain and costing you in time, work, and money for treatment. Major accidents can involve serious damage like spinal cord or traumatic brain injuries, which require long-term care and follow-up.
Surgery costs, hospital stays, and physical rehabilitation
Medications and pain management drugs
Medical devices, mobility aids, and/or home modifications (like a wheelchair ramp)Counseling care for you and your loved ones in dealing with new struggles
Whatever it costs to treat your injuries and recover your health, you deserve to have it compensated. By seeking a personal injury settlement after a car accident, it helps relieve the worry over the price of care, and lets you simply access the medical attention you require when you need it.
How much to expect from a car accident settlement depends on your individual costs and injuries. The experienced attorneys at Osborne & Francis can help calculate your losses and seek the maximum available compensation.
Lost Wages and Employment
Whether you’re employed full-time, part-time, as a freelancer, or you run your own business, any interruption to your ability to work could manifest in multiple losses. These are costs you incur in money, time, and time-sensitive opportunities.
Job-related losses a car accident settlement could cover may include:
Lost wages due to missing work or resigned contracts
Lost employment if you’re let go or can no longer work your previous position
Lost benefits like sick or vacation time eaten up by your accident response
Lost health insurance or retirement funds-matching if your hours are reduced or eliminated
Lost advancement opportunities for raises or promotions you otherwise would have received
Calculating all of these losses to date and accounting for the future impact losses (interest unearned, for example) is one of the tasks an experienced car accident lawyer will complete on your behalf.
Property Repair/Replacement Costs
A person’s vehicle is often their lifeline to employment and vital chores like grocery shopping and doctor appointments. As such, it’s important that repairs are done quickly and competently.
Property costs addressed in a car accident lawsuit may include:
Repairing the crash damage done to your vehicle
Replacing your vehicle if the damage done made the car inoperable
Compensating for the loss of other property in your vehicle (computers, music instruments, etc.)
Refunding the replacement cost for important items (like a smashed phone or broken glasses)
Calculating the damages for any auto insurance increase after an accident payout
A person’s possessions are far easier to replace after a car accident than recovering from physical injuries. Nevertheless, these are stressful chores that may interrupt your life for weeks or months after the accident. What these repairs cost in both money and time are matters a court can rule on.
Hiring an experienced car accident attorney from Osborne & Francis saves you time, and increases your likelihood of a maximum settlement amount.
Pain and Suffering
The psychological toll of an accident is an injury just like any physical damage. These unseen injuries are often more difficult to quantify financially. However, a skilled car accident lawyer knows how to present them during pretrial negotiations or to a judge to make sure you are fully compensated.
The physical pain associated with impact or whiplash injuries
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms like panic attacks, persistent nightmares, or avoidance of what used to be normal tasks (like driving)
Depression symptoms caused by the interruption of your life plans
Stress-related conditions like high blood pressure, hair loss, skin reactions, and lowered immune strength leading to opportunistic infections
Psychological strain experienced by you, your marriage, or your family that can impact work and school performance
Your lawyer can help translate these matters into figures the court can understand. With your permission, they may use statements from your doctors or counselors to help strengthen their argument and maximize your compensation.
Punitive Damages
In cases that go before a judge, one aspect of a car accident verdict may address “punitive” damages. These are fees charged to the liable party to act as a punishment, a deterrent for future behavior, or because the judge finds it to be appropriate after considering the circumstances.
Punitive damages in a car accident settlement could be ordered due to:
Reckless behavior on the part of the at-fault driver (playing games on the road)
Dangerous company protocols if they were on-the-job during the accident
Hit-and-run accidents where their fault was compounded by failing to help
Punitive damages can be difficult to prove without an in-depth understanding of the law. This is why hiring an attorney means a higher settlement amount for clients, even after factoring for the lawyer’s fees.An attorney saves you the time it takes to file your case and research the law. We also have knowledge about which facts related to your case make the strongest possible evidence. Our experience in dealing with opposing attorneys and insurance adjusters means we negotiate with confidence.
We know what your case is worth, and will not settle for a lowball offer.
These are the main areas that car accident settlements and damages awards usually cover. In cases of wrongful death where a person has died due to their injuries, settlement negotiations change to account for an even greater and irreplaceable loss.
How Can You Contact Osborne & Francis for Car Accident Representation?
After a car accident, the clock for filing a lawsuit starts ticking. In Florida, where the offices of Osborne & Francis are headquartered, the deadline for filing a car accident lawsuit is four years from the date of the collision.
However, once your case is filed, many clients wonder, “How long does a car accident settlement take?” That depends on how quickly we’re able to access your case details, and gather evidence before it degrades or gets lost. The sooner you greenlight a lawyer from Osborne & Francis to act on your behalf, the better your chances are for speedy access to the financial resources you’re entitled to.
If you’re in need of representation after a car accident, reach out to Osborne & Francis today by calling (561) 293-2600. We are prepared to fully explore your case and pursue every accessible means of compensation available to you.
Erica F.
"Best personal injury attorney around, I could not be happier! I was seriously injured in a car accident and Osborne and Francis helped me through the entire process. I was blown away by how knowledgeable the staff and attorneys are at this incredible law firm. I would not hesitate to recommend this law firm to friends and family!"
C. Smith
“I am so thankful for EVERYONE, the entire staff at Osborne & Francis Law, for mentoring me through the mediation process with my hip replacement failures. I didn't realize how MUCH pressure they relieved me of by helping me deal with the reality of this traumatic time in my life, as it was OVER so quickly with a positive result. My family is grateful to have their mom HAPPY & FOCUSED on the future, rather than worrying over what happened in the past! FAST FORWARD, we are LIVING LIFE to the fullest once again!”
E. Holland
Dennis and the other Osborne & Francis staff were amazing! Our case was HUGE and required tender loving care. Everyone on our case did their part by putting all the puzzle pieces together. We were given step by step updates and put at ease when our nerves got the best of us. For every inquiry we made we received a timely response...You are appreciated!
J. Davis
“I couldn’t have asked for a better lawyer/ firm — everything was done professionally exactly how I wanted. Due to COVID my personal attorney Mr. Garcia was still able to make things work in a timely manner and he never made me feel like he wasn’t working. Overall I’m happy with how my case turned out and I would recommend him and this law firm to anyone. 100% satisfied.”
Alfred
Quick and fair resolution to a unique case. On advice of my own attorney, I engaged Joseph Osborne of Osborne & Francis of Boca Raton, FL. Mr. Osborne had considerable experience in cases such as mine and the results showed that. Mr. Osborne and his staff were very helpful, kept me up to date, and listened to my input. The settlement was very fair as far as I am concerned.
T. Andrews
“Attorneys Greg Francis and Ryan Fletcher at Osborne & Francis Law Firm represented me in my personal injury case.The defendant drew a line in the sand and was adamant on a settlement amount I was almost willing to accept. After the dust settled and the smoke cleared, we settled for 3 times that amount!!! When they say ‘Real Tough Lawyers,’ they mean it.”
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