Each year, thousands of people are injured in car accidents on Colorado’s roads.
These accidents range from minor fender benders to catastrophic collisions involving passenger sedans and heavier commercial vehicles.
Two of the more common body parts injured in car accidents are the neck and back. As established Denver car accident lawyers, we are regularly asked about the average insurance settlement for a neck and back injury.
In truth, there is no meaningful “average” number.
The settlement award for neck and back injuries varies. You could receive anywhere from thousands to millions in compensation, depending on the circumstances of your accident.
What Factors Influence the Average Settlement for Car Accident Neck or Back Injuries?
Many factors go into determining a fair settlement for a neck or back injury after a car accident.
These injuries leave many people in considerable pain and some require surgery to correct.
To get a sense of how much you might receive, you should review the following with your personal injury lawyer:
- Your medical bills. Keep everything, even receipts for prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Mild whiplash might only require a brace and some ibuprofen. More serious back or neck injuries could require surgery, injections, physical therapy, pain medication, and costly rehabilitation.
- Your lost wages. Could you work? If your neck or back injury kept you at home, you can receive compensation for lost income. Get your paystubs or proof of how much you make if you are self-employed.
- Property damage. If your car was banged up in the collision, you can receive money to fix it or replace it.
Realize that there is more to a settlement than your economic losses. You also could be suffering from pain and emotional distress. These so-called “non-economic” losses are harder to quantify, but you can receive compensation for them.
Your pain and suffering settlement could be many times your economic losses.
In addition, if you suffered from permanent physical impairment and/or disfigurement, you should know that there isn’t a cap on the total insurance payout.
One of our personal injury attorneys can speak with you during your free case consultation to determine the compensation that you deserve.
How Pain and Suffering Is Determined
Because feeling well has no market value, it is harder to estimate the compensation you can receive in pain and suffering or emotional distress damages.
In our experience, the following factors matter:
- The severity of your injuries. If your injuries are permanent, you will likely qualify for more pain and suffering than if you can make a full recovery in a few months.
- The amount of disruption to your life. Back or neck injuries that prevent you from being intimate with a spouse or playing with your children can warrant higher amounts of compensation.
- The visibility of your injuries. Visible disfigurement or scarring of the face can cause extreme depression or embarrassment. These types of injuries often warrant higher compensation.
There is no average insurance settlement for a neck and back injury sustained from an auto accident. Instead, you must look at the unique circumstances surrounding your accident with a qualified attorney.
Reach out to an Expert Car Accident Lawyer for Assistance
To get started on your case, you should meet with an attorney to review your accident and injuries.
At Denver Trial Lawyers ®, we have over 175 years of combined experience helping injured motorists just like you. Don’t let a neck or back injury from a car accident prevent you from moving forward with your life.
Contact our firm online or call (303) 647-9990 to schedule your free case evaluation with a member of our legal team.
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