How Much is My Calvert County Car Accident Claim Worth?
Had a car accident in Calvert County, Maryland? Wondering how much your auto accident is worth? The value of any car accident claim depends principally on the severity of the injuries suffered and the extent of the damage to the vehicle and other personal property. For example, if you suffered severe injuries, you will have a lot more medical bills, rehabilitation charges, and costs for medication and health recovery devices. Thus, your claim will be higher since any injured victim is entitled to recover compensation for medical bills and fees.
As another example, if the injuries were severe, then, likely, you were unable to work for a longer period of time while you were healing. Thus, you have a higher claim for lost wages and income, and thus, your Maryland car accident claim is worth more. To obtain a more precise indication of what your Calvert County, Maryland, auto accident claim is worth, contact car accident attorneys at the Law Office of Robert Castro. Our number is (301) 870-1200. We are experienced and top-tier Maryland personal injury attorneys with offices in Waldorf, Maryland.
There are two different types of damages that can be recovered in a Maryland car accident claim. The first is called “economic damages.” These are damages — like medical bills — that are determined, fixed, and quantifiable. These can be totaled up for a set number. Thus, the judge and jury will have a fixed number to award if they determine that legal liability exists. Other examples of economic damages include:
- Lost wages and earnings — past and future
- Costs to repair or replace damaged vehicles
- Out-of-pocket costs — like a car rental
- Costs related to other damaged personal property in the vehicle
The second type of damages is called “non-economic damages.” These are damages — like pain and suffering — that cannot be determined with mathematical certainty. Thus, if the judge and jury make a determination that legal liability exists, the judge and jury will ALSO have to estimate the value of the damages for something like pain and suffering, disfigurement, and similar. Other examples include:
- Emotional trauma and distress
- Diminished quality of life
- Reduced life expectancy
- Loss of consortium
- Scarring
Good Maryland personal injury lawyers have trusted and proven methods of estimating the likely value of non-economic damages. For example, pain and suffering are often estimated as a multiple of the medical bills and costs. If an injury was severe, then the victim suffered severe pain. Often, this multiple is three to five times the itemized medical invoices. This is generally true for emotional losses and damages.
In terms of the value of your auto accident claim, there is no limit to how much can be recovered for economic damages. If there were a lot of medical bills, extensive lost income, the vehicle was expensive, and there were extensive out-of-pocket expenses, the claim for economic damages could be hundreds of thousands of dollars. On the other hand, non-economic damages in Maryland are limited to about $940,000.
Contact Calvert County, MD Car Accident Attorney Robert Castro Today
This article has been provided by the Law Office of Robert Castro. For more information or questions, contact our office to speak to an experienced Maryland personal injury lawyer at (301) 870-1200. We are Waldorf, MD, Personal Injury lawyers. Our address is 2670 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD 20601.
