What Is My Personal Injury Case Worth?

Dallas Injury Lawyer Helping Clients Obtain Full Compensation

At the law firm of Jerry D. Andrews P.C., we represent victims who have been injured in all types of accidents in Dallas and throughout North Texas. Under Texas law, a negligent party may be held financially liable for any injuries or damages caused as a result of the negligent action or inaction. When this idea is applied to a personal injury case, it means that an individual or entity who causes or allows an injury to occur due to negligence is responsible for covering the losses sustained by any and all victims.

While this may sound simple enough, many of our clients come to us with one important question: How much can I collect for my injuries? With more than 30 years of experience, board-certified personal injury trial attorney Jerry D. Andrews understands that the answer to this question depends on many factors.

Economic Damages

The amount of compensation you can collect after an injury caused by another's negligence will generally start with your measurable financial losses, also called economic damages. These damages include everything the losses that can be calculated directly in dollars and cents, such as:

• All of your accident-related medical expenses, including ongoing treatment, equipment, medical modifications to your home due to your injuries, and medications
• Wages for work that you missed as a result of your injuries, including long-term or permanent disability
• Future earnings forfeited by your loss of earning capacity
• The total cost of damaged or lost property, such as repairs to your vehicle following a car crash

Economic damages can range from several thousand dollars for a relatively minor injury up to hundreds of thousands of dollars for life-changing, traumatic injuries.

Non-Economic Damages

The second piece of the compensation puzzle is considerably more subjective than the first. Non-economic damages refer to any compensation that is awarded for considerations that cannot be assigned an objective value. For example, if your accident resulted in the amputation of your left hand, you are entitled to compensation for the negative effect on the quality of your life, but the amount of compensation is difficult to measure. Non-economic damages generally include:

• Quality of life concerns, including loss of companionship or affection
• Considerations for pain and suffering
• Reimbursement for scarring or permanent disfigurement
• Compensation for emotional distress.

Awards for non-economic damages are determined based on the individual circumstances of each case, as well as legal precedents set in previous cases that might be similar in nature. Our team can help you understand what you might expect to receive in non-economic damages.

Modified Comparative Negligence

The law in Texas recognizes that injury-causing situations can occur for a variety of reasons, and in some cases, more than one party may share in the responsibility for the accident. Texas uses a system called "modified comparative negligence," which allows you to collect compensation for your injuries even if your own negligence was partially to blame the accident, as long you were not more than 50 percent at fault. Your compensation, however, will be reduced by your percentage of fault for the accident.

For example, if you were injured in a slip-and-fall accident, but you were on your phone and not watching where you were going, you might be found to be partially to blame for your injuries. Assuming you were found to be 33 percent at fault, you could only collect 67 percent of the total damages. If your economic and non-economic damages were calculated to be $150,000, you would only collect $100,000 using the modified comparative negligence model.

Contact Us for Help With Your Case

If you have been injured in a car accident, Attorney Jerry D. Andrews can help you understand how much your case might be worth. Contact our office for a free consultation and case evaluation today. Call 214-221-5800 to schedule an appointment. We serve clients in Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, and the rest of North Texas. Se habla Español.