How to Maximize Case Value in a Baltimore Car Accident

When you’ve been injured in a car accident through no fault of your own, you deserve to be compensated for your injuries and related losses. Of course, the other driver or drivers and their insurance companies will be looking for ways to avoid paying you the full compensation you are entitled to.

Let the Baltimore car accident attorneys at Cohen & Dwin help you seek the most from your car accident claim. Our goal will be to get you the compensation you need to pay your bills, recover, and move on with your life after the crash.

Types of Compensation You May Claim

If you’ve been injured in a Baltimore car accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to compensation for the losses you’ve suffered as a result of your injuries and the accident. These damages can include:

Past and future medical expenses, including hospital bills, doctor’s office visits, surgeries, physical rehab, therapy, prescription medication, medical and mobility equipment, and even home alterations to accommodate disabilities caused by your injuries
Lost wages, for the time you miss from work while recovering from your injuries
Lost earning capacity or potential, if your injuries prevent you from ever returning to your old job and you suffer a reduction in your earnings or income as a result
Pain and suffering, or the emotional and physical anguish and distress caused by your injuries
Lost quality of life, such as from permanent disfigurement or disabilities
Property damage, such as the cost to repair your vehicle or the value of your vehicle if it is totaled

Our Baltimore car accident attorneys can review the details of your case to help you understand the types and amounts of compensation you may be entitled to for your accident.

How to Prove Pain and Suffering

When you are negotiating a settlement with the insurance company following a car accident, much of the discussion may center on the amount of compensation you are entitled to for pain and suffering.

Some insurance companies use computer programs that calculate a settlement amount based on the types of injuries you suffered. Unfortunately, these computer programs place little or no value on the pain and suffering you endured as a result of your injuries, instead of focusing almost entirely on the economic costs (medical bills, lost wages) of your injuries.

Humans and not computers make the final decision on the compensation you receive. You may be able to rely on multiple pieces of evidence or factors to prove that you are entitled to a greater amount of pain and suffering damages, including:

Severity of injuries – The more severe your injuries, the more likely that an insurance adjuster or a jury will acknowledge that you suffered greater pain.
Medical treatment – Similarly, the more intense your medical treatment, the more likely you will receive greater pain and suffering compensation. Having to undergo surgery or other complex medical procedures will only compound the pain you otherwise suffer from your injuries.
Expert witnesses – Your doctors and other medical experts can testify as to the pain your injuries and medical treatment have caused you and the limitations your injuries have put on your life.
Friends and family – Your friends, relatives, and co-workers can also testify about the effects that your injuries and/or treatment have had on your life.
Your own testimony – Your own accounts about the pain and suffering you’ve endured can inform the amount of compensation you receive. Ideally, you should keep a diary or journal of the impacts your injuries and treatment have on your life, so that you have a contemporaneous account to corroborate your later testimony about your pain and suffering.

Tips to Increase Case Value

In the minutes, hours, and days following your accident, there are steps you can take to put yourself in the best position for increasing the value of your car accident claim, such as:

Call 911 or the police – If someone has been injured in the accident, you or someone else should call 911 for emergency medical services. Even if medical treatment isn’t required, you should still call the police to have an officer come to the scene to prepare an accident report.
Document the accident scene – Be sure to get the names and contact and insurance information from all the drivers involved. If possible, try to take photographs or videos of the accident scene. If you suffered visible injuries, you should photograph them as well.
Seek medical treatment – Even if you don’t feel at first like you were injured in the accident, you should still follow up with your medical provider, who may be able to identify injuries you sustained in the accident even though you aren’t currently feeling any pain or symptoms.
Contact a car accident attorney – You may be contacted by insurance adjusters or attorneys shortly after your accident. You need to speak with an experienced car accident attorney who can help you understand your legal rights and options and negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf.

What to Avoid to Get the Maximum Case Value in Baltimore

Actions you should avoid to best ensure that you receive maximum compensation in your Baltimore car accident case include:

Refusing medical treatment at the accident scene when it’s offered – If you decline attention from the EMTs or a ride to the hospital when it’s offered, the insurance company may argue that you were not really injured in the accident if you later try to claim serious injuries.
Apologizing for the accident or making admissions of fault – Although it can be human nature to offer apologies after a sudden and tragic incident like a car accident, you should limit your communications with the other drivers or with the police to justify the basic facts of the accident. Any statements or apologies you give might be later used to argue that you admitted fault for the accident
Speaking with insurance adjusters before consulting with a car accident attorney – The insurance companies will look for any angle to pay you less than the full value of your car accident claim. Do not provide any medical or accident explanation information before consulting with an attorney. If an adjuster calls you, please write down the adjuster’s name, insurance company, direct dial phone number, and claim number. Please inform the adjuster that you are retaining an attorney and be sure to give the attorney that information immediately. An attorney can help you understand the value of your case and communicate with the insurance companies on your behalf to ensure your rights and interests are protected.
Ignoring your medical providers’ treatment instructions – If you fail to follow treatment recommendations for your injuries, not only will the other party argue that you weren’t seriously injured, but if your injuries become worse you may not be able to recover compensation for the more intensive treatment you may require.
Talking about your case on social media – Avoid discussing your case on social media or posting photos or videos of yourself being active. Your social media activity might be used to contradict your official statements about the accident or show that you aren’t really injured.

How Can Cohen & Dwin Help Me Maximize My Car Accident Claim?

If you have been hurt in a car accident, let the Baltimore car accident attorneys of Cohen & Dwin help you pursue the maximum compensation you need and deserve. Our attorneys have more than 100 years of collective experience successfully handling claims like yours.

We understand the emotional, physical, and financial burdens that your accident has placed on you and your family. We take the time to get to know you and your family so that we can find the best ways to help. We strive to always be available to you when you need to talk to us. And we work tirelessly, aggressively advocating on your behalf and fighting with the insurance companies for full compensation on your behalf.

After you’ve been in a Baltimore car accident, contact Cohen & Dwin to schedule a free consultation to talk to our experienced attorneys.