What Is The Average Personal Injury Settlement In Florida?
If you’ve suffered a serious injury because another person acted carelessly or irresponsibly, you may be so focused on healing that taking legal action feels impossible. Understandably, you might want to know about how much compensation you could receive to weigh whether filing an insurance claim or lawsuit is worth it.
Because so many factors go into determining the amount of your personal injury settlement in Florida, there’s no one-size-fits-all method to calculate an average. However, it can be helpful to understand the most common factors that can influence your settlement.
Factors That Influence The Value Of A Personal Injury Settlement
Here’s a look at some of the circumstances that can determine the total value of your personal injury settlement in the Sunshine State:
Injury Severity
Personal injury lawyers can often get a general idea of your likely settlement amount by looking at the type and severity of your injuries. For example, if you suffer minor injuries in a car accident, your settlement could be around $1,000 to $20,000.
On the other hand, if your injuries are permanent and severely impact your quality of life, your settlement is likely to be much higher. For instance, if you suffer a major spinal cord injury that results in paralysis, your settlement could be $1 million or more.
Insurance Coverage
Unfortunately, the amount of compensation you can recover is often limited by the amount of insurance the at-fault party has.
Suppose that you’re badly hurt in a bicycle accident in Jacksonville, and the driver who hit you has only the state minimum insurance coverage. If the driver’s insurance doesn’t cover your injuries, you could file a claim against your own uninsured motorist coverage, if you have it.
You could also file a lawsuit against the driver themselves, but unless they have considerable assets, you’re unlikely to recover much of anything.
Now, imagine you suffer major injuries in a truck accident. Commercial trucking companies typically have multimillion-dollar insurance policies, so you could likely recover considerably more in this situation.
Liability
In many cases, injuries aren’t solely the fault of one person. Instead, the parties involved each contributed to the incident in some way. Because Florida is a modified comparative negligence state, you can recover damages if you were 50% or less at fault. If you do receive compensation, it will typically be reduced by the percentage of fault.
Value Of Non-Economic Damages
In a personal injury case, there are two main kinds of damages you can recover:
- Economic damages compensate you for financial losses.
- Non-economic damages compensate you for intangible losses.
Many people colloquially refer to non-economic damages as compensation for pain and suffering. Determining your non-economic damages can be a challenge. There is no “standard” way to calculate them, but generally speaking, you’ll be awarded more compensation for injuries with a lasting impact on your life.
For instance, if you suffer from painful fractures that heal completely, you likely wouldn’t receive as much compensation for pain and suffering as someone whose injury led to an amputation.
Amount Of Evidence
Even if you know the other party was negligent, you must be able to prove their negligence to an insurance company or the court to receive compensation. The more evidence you have, the more likely you are to obtain a larger settlement.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer at Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers
Understanding what factors influence your possible personal injury compensation can be helpful as you decide whether to file a claim in Florida. However, it can be difficult to decipher an accurate estimate based on the unique circumstances of your particular case on your own.
Before deciding whether you will take legal action, consulting with an experienced personal injury lawyer at Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers is worth it to determine the possible value of your case. We offer a free consultation.
Contact the Jacksonville Personal Injury Law Firm of Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers Today For Help
For more information, please contact the Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra personal injury law firm of Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.
We serve Duval County, St. Johns County, and its surrounding areas:
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Jacksonville
9471 Baymeadows Rd #105,
Jacksonville, FL 32256
(904) 396-1100
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Downtown Jacksonville
121 W Forsyth St Suite 1000,
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 822-4225
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Ponte Vedra
480 Town Plaza Ave #130,
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32081
(904) 675-1167