The Law Offices of David S. Kohm are prepared to handle a wide variety of claims related to auto accidents. Many clients are victims of whiplash, which is damage to the soft tissues in the neck resulting from the jolt of a collision. The average claim for whiplash depends on a variety of factors, including:
- The quality of the plaintiff as a witness
- The believability of the plaintiff
- Whether the plaintiff has a criminal record
- Whether the jury comprehends the plaintiff’s injuries
- The nature of the medical treatment for the plaintiff
Use the Multiplier Method for a Rough Estimate
Clients who want a rough estimate for their claim can start by valuing their special damages; that is, those damages that have an exact amount. These could include the cost of the medical bills and lost earnings. This might be $4,000 and $1,000 respectively for a total of $5,000. Now the client can take this total and multiply by 1.5 and 4.0 to get a range. In this case, they might expect that the average claim for whiplash be in the range of $7,500 and $20.000.
How to Maximize a Claim
In order to get damages for whiplash, an Arlington attorney must win the case for the plaintiff. Plaintiffs must convince the jury that they deserve compensation. The amount of compensation for whiplash can depend strongly on emotional factors. A jury might award a much higher judgment to a plaintiff that they like. In addition, juries pay careful attention to key details. For instance, if a plaintiff claims $4,000 in medical bills, but these charges were charged for therapy rather than hospitalization, then the jury may not take the claim as seriously.
An attorney can guide a plaintiff through these courtroom procedures. The David S. Kohm firm will make sure the plaintiff does all those things to maximize their award toward the high end of the average claim for whiplash. For this reason, anyone who experienced whiplash should contact us at (817) 204-0900 to speak to an attorney as soon as possible after the injury.
