When you are involved in a car crash you first and foremost concern should be recovering from the crash—as best you can.  Finally, when you are recovered, as best you can, you and your attorney should start to consider what the claim is worth.

Car Accident in Utah

Medical Bills

Medical bills are an indication of the physical damages you have suffered.  All of the past medical bills are gathered and you total them.  A broken leg might look like this:

• Ambulance: $2,000
• Hospital       $30,000
• Surgeon      $9,000
• Anesthesia  $2,000
• Rehab         $7,000
• Total.           $50,000

If you are more seriously injured, let's say, for sake of example, you lose a leg.  The medical bills for the amputation of your leg may look like this:

• Ambulance: $2,000
• Hospital.      $60,000
• Surgeon      $15,000
• Anesthesia  $5,000
• Rehab         $30,000
• Total.           $112,000

Obviously, the amputation claim is worth more than the broken leg claim but that is not the end of the evaluation.

Lost Income

If you have a broken leg you will have an operation and with any luck at all, return to your occupation.  You will have lost some income while you recovered and this lost income is recoverable and added to the medical bills above.

However, if your leg was amputated, you may not be able to return to your occupation.  In this case you and your attorney will need to consult with experts such as a vocational expert and determine what occupations you may be able to do.  Of course, you will be entitled to the lost income while you recover.

The Nature and Extent of Injuries

Having a broken leg and repaired is bad but it is temporary.  But the loss of a leg impacts you far more than a broken leg. There is damage to your self-perception, your sense of self, and requires far greater work in the future.

The Pain and Suffering, Both Mental and Physical

Again, the physical pain of the fracture itself is excruciating, recovery from the fix is painful, the rehabilitation is painful.  The mental anguish is temporary.

The pain and mental anguish of losing your leg is dramatic and life-changing—it, both the physical pain and the mental anguish will probably be with you for the rest of your life.

The Extent Which You Have Been Prevented From Pursuing Your Ordinary Affairs

With the leg fracture you, in all probability, will be able to return to your ordinary affairs—even though temporarily interrupted.  If you lose a leg you may never return to your “ordinary affairs.”  Consider the avid golfer or swimmer who loses a leg.

The Degree and Character of Any Disfigurement

Your fractured leg, apart from some minor scarring, will still be attached to your torso.  Not so if your leg is amputated.  Consider the amputation claim if that person is model.

The Extent to Which You Have Been Limited in the Enjoyment of Life

I am sure by now that you are getting the picture.  If you are an avid swimmer, golfer, or hunter think about the loss of that enjoyment—perhaps temporary if a fracture—perhaps forever if amputated.

Whether the Consequences of These Injuries Are Likely to Continue and For How Long

Self-explanatory I think.  The fracture leg example are transient—the amputation example will be with you for the rest of your life.

Bottom Line

The general rule of thumb is whatever the medical bills total, multiply that number by three and add that to the medical bills and that may be a fair value for the claim.  The broken leg claim would look like this:

$50,000 X 3 = $150,000 + $50,000 = $200,000

The amputation claim would obviously be worth a lot more, but how much more. At least:

$112,000 X 3 = $336,000 + $112,000 = $448,000

But what about all of the other losses outlined above?  That depends upon the skill of your attorney.

George Tait Law is a law firm and its lawyers represent injured people and their families across Utah including the counties and cities of Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Wayne, Weber, American Fork, Beaver, Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Delta, Draper, Duchesne, Fillmore, Heber, Kamas, Kanab, Kaysville, Layton, Lehi, Logan, Moab, Murray, Nephi, Ogden, Orem, Park City, Price, Provo, Richfield, Riverton, Roy, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, St. George, Tooele, Vernal, West Jordan, and West Valley City. George Tait Law and its attorneys are licensed to practice law only in the State of Utah and maintain offices in Salt Lake City, Utah. No attorney client relationship is established by simply visiting this website.