What Kind of Settlement Will I Receive?

No one, not even the very best personal injury attorney in Washington, DC, can tell you in advance how much compensation you will get from a Washington, DC personal injury settlement. Your lawyer may give you a ballpark estimate once he or she knows enough about your case, but personal injury settlements all depend on facts unique to your situation.
Washington, DC personal injury settlements contain some or all of the following types of damages:

Special damages

At a minimum, an injury settlement in Washington, DC contains special damages, which can be proven exactly. Typically, special damages consist of medical bills, prescription costs, the cost of medical equipment and hospital stays, etc. Special damages also include lost wages, lost vacation time, lost sick leave, and travel expenses for trips to and from your medical appointments. In addition, you are entitled to lost wages for time missed from work.

General damages

Personal injury settlements in Washington, DC also usually contain general damages. These include pain and suffering, both physical and mental, any permanent physical disfigurement or disability, and the emotional toll of missing social and family events. Washington, DC personal injury attorneys do not have a formula for determining this type of damages, although some lawyers and insurance companies use a multiple of your special damages to determine general damages.

Punitive damages

Punitive damages are meant to punish the wrongdoer. They are not available in every case. Juries award them in addition to special and general damages because the wrongdoer’s behavior was so out of line with society’s expectations that the jury feels that punishment is due—in civil cases, usually the judge or jury can only inflict financial punishment. Usually, Washington, DC injury attorneys do everything they can to bring punitive damages into a case because the risk of punitive damages puts enormous pressure on the defendant to settle, and settle high.

So, how much will I get from a Washington, DC injury settlement?

There is no way to know in advance how much compensation you will receive in your personal injury settlement in Washington, DC. Personal injury lawyers can calculate your special and general damages, but many less tangible factors also affect your settlement:

  • Are you a good, sympathetic witness? What about other witnesses on your side?
  • Is the defendant a good witness?
  • How effective are other witnesses?
  • Where is your case filed? Generally, urban areas are better for plaintiffs than rural areas.

For skilled legal service

With offices in Washington, DC and Maryland Lawrence S. Lapidus is your ideal personal injury lawyer. Mr. Lapidus regularly represents clients in—

  • Washington, DC Metro area
  • Prince George's County, MD
  • College Park, MD
  • Oxon Hill, MD
  • District Heights, MD
  • Glenarden, MD
  • Bladensburg, MD
  • Upper Marlboro, MD
  • Laurel, MD
  • Beltsville, MD
  • Fort Washington, MD
  • Largo, MD
  • Bowie, MD
  • Greenbelt, MD
  • Silver Spring, MD
  • Cheverly, MD
  • Glen Dale, MD
  • Forestville, MD
  • Adelphi, MD
  • Mitchellville, MD

A good personal injury lawyer in Washington, DC will do everything possible to maximize your settlement.Contact the offices of Lawrence S. Lapidus, a DC personal injury attorney with 35 years of experience, about your injury and the potential value of your case.