Three Times Medical Expenses: A Myth

A Chicago injury lawyer who guarantees any sort of settlement on your personal injury claim is only using this as a tactic to get your case. In truth, no one can predict or estimate the value of a claim until it's been offered a settlement.

Your medical expenses are a major focal point of your personal injury claim. Somewhere, a lawyer decided to make a "3 times medicals" rule that stemmed from the fact that in the past, simpler cases usually did settle for around that amount. Things have certainly changed, and the fact that many people took this phenomenon as a "rule" in injury settlements has now rendered this value horribly inaccurate.

There is no law book on the shelves that will state that your settlement should be 3 times your medical expenses. Settling for this amount is impractical in most cases. For example, if a professional athlete lost a leg in a car accident, the medical expenses for proper suture of the wound, prosthetics, and rehabilitation may amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, even 3 times the basic medical bills wouldn't compensate that athlete for the lifetime of lost wages and emotional damages resulting from not being able to play their sport.

Knowing the factors that go into valuating your injury claim is important when perusing a settlement. While a Chicago injury lawyer can't tell you what your claim is worth (as far as how much money you'll definitely receive), they can help you fairly estimate your accident damages and gather evidence to support your claims.

An experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer at The Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. is available to help you examine your injury claim and help with recovering compensation for your medical expenses, contact us today for a free case evaluation. (312) 263-1080