Napoli Bern Ripka Law Firm

Plaintiffs' Personal Injury Law Firm

About Personal Injury

General Description

Personal injury lawyers and attorneys typically represent clients (plaintiffs) who have been injured either financially or physically due to the fault of another. A personal injury lawyer is usually experienced in a wide variety of personal injury topics, ranging from automobile accidents and medical malpractice to drug litigation and defective products. Personal injury attorneys often work on a contingent basis, acquiring no fees unless a recovery is made in a case.

While it is impossible to predict an exact monetary figure when determining how much a personal injury claim is worth, a formula used by insurance claim adjusters will help a plaintiff calculate an amount that may prove useful when negotiations begin.

Understanding what personal injuries a defendant is liable for is extremely important. A plaintiff may seek compensation for a number of damages, including medical expenses, property damage, lost income and non-monetary damages such as pain and suffering. Because there is not a price tag on pain and suffering, which includes emotional damages, a formula is required to determine the amount of a claim.

Insurance company adjusters add total medical expenses to lost income and multiply this figure by a number between 1.5 and 5. The multiplier varies on the seriousness of the injury. Injuries that cause permanent damage, lead to long-term treatment with lengthy recovery periods or are more painful require a higher multiplier. Adjusters will use multipliers as high as 10 when extremely severe injuries are involved.

Once the plaintiff adds in the potential costs of a long court battle and an expensive legal team, he is ready to predict the value of his claim.

Personal Injury

Medical Malpractice