How Do Insurance Companies Value Certain Injuries?

A Los Angeles personal injury accident, whether it is an auto accident, biking accident, slip and fall accident, or motorcycle accident, can be an emotionally and financially taxing experience. While you or a loved one might have thousands of dollars in medical bills, lost wages, and related expenses, the insurance company may not agree that all of those bills are actually related to the injury or recoverable.

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How Does the Insurance Adjuster Reach a Number?

As an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer will discuss, permanence is often the key word when it comes to an insurance adjuster’s evaluations of injuries. Also known as a claims adjuster, an insurance adjuster investigates insurance claims by interviewing the claimant and witnesses, consulting police and hospital records, and inspecting property damage to determine the extent of the insurance company's liability. An adjuster will generally verify that coverage applies through the insurance policy, investigate liability for the damages caused, and offer compensation to the injured person based on their emotional or physical property damages. The offered compensation amount is where many injury victims feel, validly, that the insurance company is trying to shortchange them.

Back to the idea of permanence and your injuries... If a doctor or medical professional has informed you or will testify on your behalf that the injury you sustained is permanent, this will increase the potential settlement value. In other words, injuries that heal quickly and leave no lasting impact on your life are not valued highly in terms of an adjuster’s settlement potential.

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Permanent Injuries

Some permanent injuries include paralysis, disfigurements, and scarring. Scars in certain places, such facial scarring, will likely increase the potential value of your claim.  As for disfigurement, unfortunately it often leads to severe psychological problems such as negative body image; depression; and difficulties in one's social, sexual, and professional lives.

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These are just a few of the injuries resulting from a personal injury accident that can lead to long-lasting or permanent pain and suffering. Each case is unique and it is important to discuss your potential for financial recovery with an experienced personal injury lawyer.

For a free, no obligation consultation, contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at Ghozland Law Firm today.