If you’ve been injured in a California car accident, it’s natural to want to have an idea of the average car accident settlement in this state. When you’re involved in an accident, it can catch you completely off-guard and leave you to face unexpected financial losses through no fault of your own. If the other driver was at fault, they should be responsible for compensating you for your losses.
There are many factors involved in determining a settlement amount. The more significant your injuries and the more devastating your losses, the greater your chances of obtaining a large settlement. Compensation may be able to be obtained either from insurance benefits or by filing a civil lawsuit.
Settlements from Insurance Claims
If another driver is clearly at fault for causing a car accident and they’re covered by automobile insurance, the amount of your settlement is usually limited to the maximum limits on the other driver’s policy. The average amount of a settlement in California is approximately $21,000, but other factors will be considered before your settlement amount is determined.
Some of the factors that affect the amount of your settlement include:
- The extent of your injuries
- The medical care required to treat your injuries now and in the future
- Lost wages or lost ability to work
- Pain and suffering
- Whether you were partially at fault for the accident
If the person who caused the accident doesn’t have insurance, you may be able to collect from your policy as long as you have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage on your policy. The amount you can collect on this type of coverage is usually limited to the same amount of liability limits on your policy.
It’s always important to keep in mind that insurance companies will do everything in their power to avoid paying out. That’s how they keep their business profitable. One of the ways they do this is by offering you a low settlement soon after the accident when they know there’s a good chance you’re desperate to have some money quickly.
Civil Lawsuits for Personal Injury
Before agreeing to accept less than you deserve, you may want to consider filing a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver or their insurance company. This is a step you may need to take if your losses aren’t being taken seriously and are being undervalued, or if the other party doesn’t agree they’re at fault.
When you file a civil lawsuit, you can file for damages that have affected you financially, which are called economic damages. This category includes damages that have caused you to lose money as a result of the accident, such as lost wages, medical bills or becoming disabled. Non-economic damages are losses that don’t have a particular number attached to them, such as pain and suffering.
Different accidents can lead to extremely different consequences, so it’s hard to pinpoint an average car settlement amount. The amount of compensation you’ll be able to obtain will be related to the nature and extent of your injuries, and the long-term impact they’re likely to have on your life.
Getting Expert Personal Injury Advice
Before you decide on accepting an offer that an insurance company makes for your accident, you should discuss the details of your accident with an expert in the field of personal injury law. Get in touch with Kuvara Law Firm by filling out the form on this page. Over the last 40 years, we have recovered millions of dollars for California accident victims. We have a reputation for getting fair compensation fast.
