Calculating an Auto Accident Settlement Involving Brain Injuries

Brain injuries can be extremely traumatic and damaging. From a simple concussion to permanent brain damage that renders you unable to function without car, brain injuries are a common part of car accidents. Most brain injuries result from a blow to the head that bruises the brain, sometimes severely. The impact of a car accident can often cause this damage to your brain... and if it does, you will need to understand how much compensation you should get for your brain injury in an auto accident settlement.

Auto Accident Settlement and Brain Injury

An auto accident settlement involves accepting a deal from the insurance company of the driver who was responsible for injuring you by negligently causing a car accident. Your alternative to accepting such an auto accident settlement is to file a lawsuit, take the case to court and allow the jury to decide both on fault and on what an appropriate damage award would be.

If you accept an auto accident settlement for your brain injury, you should be sure it includes many of the same damages you would get if you went to court. This includes compensation for:

• All medical care required to deal with the injury. If the injury has rendered a person brain damaged and in need of lifelong care, than the auto accident settlement must be enough to cover that care
• Lost wages if the brain injury causes the victim to miss work. If a person becomes permanently unable to work, the settlement must factor this lifetime loss of income into account
• Pain and suffering associated with the brain injury
• Emotional distress arising from the injury

Getting Help

Before you accept an auto accident settlement in any situation, but especially when serious brain injuries are involved, you need to consult with a lawyer. Your attorney can explain to you what the rules are and whether a settlement offer is fair in light of the circumstances surrounding the accident you endured.