After being involved in an accident that results in injuries, it is perfectly natural to be concerned about how and when you will receive the monetary compensation you desperately need. How long it takes to receive financial compensation depends upon several factors – some within your control and others that are not. The two most important factors, however, have much to do with you. These are how long after your injuries you wait to speak with a personal injury attorney and which attorney you choose to handle your Las Vegas personal injury case. Not surprisingly, the sooner you act to retain a lawyer and the better the quality of your legal counsel, the higher the chance is you will receive the monetary compensation you deserve as quickly as possible.
Other Factors that Affect the Timing of Financial Recovery
While retaining the best personal injury attorney right away positively affects when you can expect to collect damages and how much you will be awarded, there are several factors that are not in your control. These include:
- The nature and extent of your injuries. The more serious your injuries are and the more uncertain your recovery is, the longer it can take to settle your case. This is because insurance companies want to pay as little as possible and when recovery is uncertain, they may be held liable for medical expenses for years to come;
- Determining who was at fault. While sometimes fault is crystal clear in an accident, most of the time it is not. If there is a dispute over who caused the accident that resulted in injuries, resolving this issue can take a significant amount of time;
- The number of parties involved in the case. The more parties who could possible be held legally and financially responsible for causing the accident that resulted in harm, the more likely the case will become complicated and time-consuming for everyone;
- The willingness to settle by the parties. While sometimes your attorney and the insurance representative or defense attorney can come to a resolution quickly because liability is clear and a reasonable settlement amount is offered. Other times, however, the offer is unreasonable or the parties are fighting over fault; in such cases it takes longer to resolve and sometimes trial is necessary.
Common Damages Available to Injured Victims
Damages cannot be calculated properly until a Las Vegas personal injury attorney analyzes the facts of the case. Generally, however, there are two types of monetary compensation available to an accident victim: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages cover fixed expenses an accident victim incurred as a result of his or her injuries. These include:
Medical bills;
- Loss of past and future wages;
- Modifications in the home due to injuries;
- Medical equipment;
Non-economic damages cover harm that does not have a price tag on it. These include:
- Pain and suffering;
- Loss of enjoyment of life; and
- Wrongful death.
After being involved in an accident, there is nothing more important than recovering from your injuries. When financial stress is added to the equation, recuperating can become even more difficult.
Legal Help in Las Vegas
If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a Las Vegas, Nevada car accident, contact the skilled Las Vegas personal injury attorneys at Matt Pfau Law Group. We have years of fighting for the rights of the injured across the state of Nevada and will do the same for you. Contact us today to scheduled your initial case evaluation with one of our knowledgeable personal injury lawyers.