We really need to examine the specifics of your case to make any quantitative judgments. But there are a few important things you should know about the potential value of your claim.

The first is that you should not accept any private settlement offers from another party, such as a check or cash on the spot. Doing so jeopardizes a settlement later. Second, do not rely on an insurance adjuster’s injury calculation for your compensation. Each accident and injury is specific and has factors that can both cost you more money in medical care, suffering, and lost wages and merit more compensation from the other party.

There are two main factors to calculate the total value of a claim: general damages and special damages.

General damages, also called non-economic damages, are the intangible losses you have suffered and will continue to suffer in the future. These include pain and emotional trauma.

Special damages, also called economic damages, are the measurable amounts of money you lost and will continue to lose due to the at-fault party’s negligence. These are things like lost wages and medical bills.