Disc injuries can be temporary or lead to a life of chronic pain and suffering. The severity of the injury impacts the value of the disc injuries in terms of reaching a full and fair compensation from the insurance company. An attorney will advise you on determining and documenting the full amount of the medical and rehabilitation expenses and putting a value on pain and suffering.
Factors Determining Value
Many insurance companies today use a computer system called Colossus, or a similar computer program, to determine the initial settlement offer. The remaining companies us a claims adjuster to determine the amount. The initial valuation of your injury will rely on hard evidence of injury and treatments including:
- Medical bills
- Description of severity of injury
- Doctor’s notes about your injury and recommended treatments
- Wage statements proving lost income
- Other losses such as gas expenses driving to treatments
In addition, any documentation provided by an attorney is considered also. This is one reason why it is important to consult an attorney immediately after an auto accident so he or she is involved from the start.
Disc injuries are soft tissue injuries, and that makes them more difficult to document. They do not always show up on x-rays. Complicating the issue of valuation is the fact the disc injury can lead to other physical problems such as muscle spasms, chronic headaches and nerve damage.
Long Term Consequences of Injuries
To obtain a fair compensation amount, it will be necessary to put a value on the pain and suffering an injury victim suffers. The difficulty lies in proving the direct connection between the accident and the short and long term pain and suffering resulting from the disc injuries. Pain and suffering includes any physical or emotional pain and the inability to perform the same daily functions you could perform before the accident.
In many cases it is difficult to prove the full impact of auto injuries on your life. Spinal injuries can be particularly complex because they can impact any part of the body, can endure a lifetime, and no two people experience the same symptoms.
One of the reasons you need an attorney for personal injury cases is that the attorney will insure the insurance company fully understands the connection between the accident and your injury and the full extent the injuries have had on your life. In that way the final valuation for your disc injuries will include full and fair compensation.
Consult a Personal Injury Attorney
Clearly it is critical that you consult a personal injury attorney in order to insure the claims settlement amount is fair. If necessary, the attorney will litigate the case if the insurance company refuses to pay too little.
