Compensation

What is my claim worth?
That depends upon the severity of an injury. Also, every case is unique as a different person is always involved. This is why we spend time with you learning how the injury has affected your life. The key component in determining value is a person’s pain and suffering, which can be measured by intensity, duration and frequency. You might have pain that’s been going on for three years, but sporadically, or you might live with intense pain every day. Other measures of value are based on how long you’ve been unable to work and how long you’ve been prevented from doing activities that are important to your life. The value of a scar may depend upon its degree and its location (it’s worth less on a knee than on a cheek). Your claim may be worth more if the injury is permanent or if you have lost valuable earnings. This is why you need an experienced personal injury lawyer. We research what judges and juries have awarded for similar injuries in order to make sure we demand and recover the most compensation available for your injury.

How will making a claim for compensation affect my insurance premium?
It won’t. If you have insurance and you’re not mostly at fault for your own injury, the insurance company can’t raise your rates.

Do I have to pay taxes when I receive money compensation through a settlement or award?
No. Apart from some very rare exceptions, this money is treated not as income, but as compensation to help you get back to where you started. You don’t even have to declare it. As with any tax matter, we always recommend that you seek the advice of your accountant to be sure you are following proper tax rules and regulations for your individual situation.

How is the law firm paid?
We receive nothing unless and until we bring your case to a satisfactory conclusion. Once we recover money we typically charge a one-third fee for our work and are reimbursed for our expenses. In the rare case we do not recovery money for a client, the client owes nothing for our work. This method of paying us is called a contingent fee. The contingency we must meet is the collection of money for the client. We always confirm this in writing with our clients at the beginning.