You may not have been aware that the value of your personal injury settlement will ‘jump’ if you can prove that your personal injury has created permanent or even long-lasting effects. This is known as a residual injury. You will need to hire a personal injury lawyer in most instances to do this successfully. The reason for the dramatic increase in your settlement is because even a small residual injury like a torn rotor cuff can severely limit your ability to enjoy life and earn a living in the ways that you could before your personal injury accident.
A very serious long-term personal injury that results from a personal injury accident will likely have a dramatic and drastic impact on your quality of life. This is the reason why the settlement amount for it would tend to be higher.
Your personal injury lawyer will discuss some of the residual injuries with you. He or she will also educate you as to the best ways to document lingering injuries in your personal injury lawsuit.
Residual injuries
● Disfigurement/Scars – scarring happens to be a common residual injury. It can result either from burn injury or from medical treatments. If you suffer from extensive scarring, it can make you look hideous. It can also cause slight or complete and permanent loss of mobility. This is especially true if the excessive scarring and/or disfigurement occurs in the joint areas of limbs.
○ Interestingly enough, if you ask your personal injury lawyer, he or she will tell you that you’ll generally get a higher settlement if the scarring is in a part of your body that is not covered by clothing and/or accessories.
○ Your settlement may be higher depending on your gender. For example, if you are a woman, your settlement amount will be higher than it would be if you were a man.
○ Your settlement will probably be higher if you are young
○ It would be to your advantage to get a medical opinion about your scar. This includes whether or not it can be removed and what the cost would be. This information can be included as evidence in both your demand letter to the insurance company and the personal injury lawsuit.
● Joint/Back injuries – you will suffer from back or joint injuries or even impairment if one or more of the following applies to you:
○ A spinal disk was injured
○ A vertebra was narrowed, displaced, or disfigured in any way
○ A ligament or cartilage was disfigured, injured, or displaced
Though the initial injury may heal, you’ll likely be experiencing problems for many years after your personal injury accident. This will especially be true as you age.
Residual Injury Needs Detailed Documentation
Your Personal Injury Lawyer in Richmond Hill will inform you that documentation is crucial if you want to get a higher settlement for your personal injury case. You can ask your doctor to provide the documentation and tell him or her that you are seeking this information to help you win your case. You don’t have to settle for peanuts in terms of a settlement if you were involved in a personal injury accident. You can fight back with a good lawyer and get the settlement that you want and need.