It’s not unusual to suffer a leg injury in a car accident. Drivers and passengers commonly brace their legs for impact when a collision is inevitable. Depending on the severity of the accident, their legs might get caught underneath the dashboard or crushed by an object.
People who experience a severe wound may wonder how much compensation they can receive from car accident leg injury settlements. Generally, a settlement provides compensation for medical care, lost wages, and emotional pain and suffering. The settlement amount will differ depending on the accident’s severity.
You may be entitled to compensation for your losses if you’ve recently sustained injuries in a car accident. A qualified attorney at Morgan & Morgan can review your case to determine its value. Contact us today to schedule your free case review.
Average Car Accident Leg Injury Settlements
Suffering a leg injury in a car accident is scary. Your injury might be mild, like a strain or sprain, or severe enough to require partial limb removal.
Typically, the compensation awarded in car accident leg injury settlements depends on how severe the wounds are. A few bumps and bruises may not receive much, but someone who suffers more severe damage can obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in a lawsuit.
Some of the most common leg injuries in car accidents relate to the knees. The knees allow us to bend our legs and walk; damage to them can require extensive surgery and downtime.
According to Jury Verdict Research, monetary damages for a knee injury include the following statistics:
- Median verdict amount in a knee injury case — $114,000
- Average amount of a court verdict for a severe knee injury claim — $359,000
- Cases involving a knee injury — about 8% got more than $1 million in damages
Jury Verdict Research classifies a severe knee injury as a fracture, dislocation, aggravation of a previous injury, or needing a knee replacement.
Unfortunately, Jury Verdict Research does not separate knee injury verdicts by type of case. The claims included in the research are mostly a combination of car accidents and slips and falls.
However, Jury Verdict Research does provide additional information concerning verdicts of knee injuries in specific claims:
- Rear-end crashes involving knee injury claims have a verdict mean of $9,000
- Pedestrian crashes involving knee injuries have median verdicts of $150,000
- Collisions in intersections have average knee injury verdicts of $71,000
Notably, verdicts for knee injuries involving rear-end crashes are low, primarily because victims are less likely to sustain knee injuries in these types of collisions.
Factors That Impact the Value of Car Accident Leg Injury Settlements
Various factors can impact the value of car accident leg injury settlements.
The Severity of a Leg Injury
The severity of your leg injury will significantly impact the value of your settlement. Someone with a sprained ankle may receive several thousand dollars for their injury, while someone who needs surgery and ongoing medical care may seek over $100,000 in damages.
Your doctor will determine the severity of your leg injury following a crash, and your lawyer can evaluate how much it is worth in a settlement.
Length of Time to Recover From Leg Injuries
Your recovery time will impact the value of your settlement. More extended recovery periods are indicative of more severe knee injuries. If you require regular physical therapy or other care, your lawyer will include the treatment cost in your settlement.
State Negligence Laws
State laws dictate the rules concerning negligence. There are three systems that states use: pure comparative, modified comparative, and contributory negligence.
Pure comparative negligence laws are most favorable to car accident victims. In a pure comparative negligence state, you can recover damages to the extent that you were not at fault. For instance, if you are 75% at fault for the accident, you can still recover 25% in damages.
Modified comparative negligence states allow victims to collect damages as long as they are less than 50% or 51% at fault for an accident. The court will reduce damages by the extent to which the driver is at fault. For instance, if you are 25% at fault, you can still collect 75% in monetary damages.
Contributory negligence laws are the most strict. Under contributory negligence, you are not entitled to any monetary damages unless the other party was 100% at fault for the accident.
A qualified lawyer can explain the negligence laws in your state and how they may impact your claim.
Insurance Limits
Another factor that can limit the damages you receive for your leg injury is insurance. Typically, an automobile insurance policy covers your settlement. Depending on your state’s laws, the other driver’s policy may foot the bill for your injuries, or your policy may.
If your damages exceed the value of a policy’s limits, it could be difficult to recover anything more, especially if the other driver doesn’t have much in assets.
Your Actual Damages
When determining how much your knee injury is worth in a lawsuit, your lawyer will assess the existing expenses associated with the accident, including your medical costs and lost wages. They may also include non-economic damages, like emotional anguish and loss of quality of life.
Your Lawyer
When you suffer injuries in a car accident, you should look for a qualified lawyer with experience handling personal injury lawsuits.
Ask your prospective lawyer about their previous case results handling claims like yours. If they don’t have much experience in car accident claims or can’t point to successful outcomes, it’s best to look for someone else.