What is the Role of Medical Expenses in Recovery from Accidents?

By Ben Sessions on March 8th, 2016 in Car / Auto Accident

What’s the role of medical expenses in recovery from accidents? The short answer is that medical expenses play a tremendously important role in determining the amount of recovery that you receive following an accident. Georgia law states that “[i]n all cases, necessary expenses consequent upon an injury are a legitimate item in the estimate of damages.” O.C.G.A. § 51-12-7. Our law recognizes that medical expenses are a proper consideration for the jury

In all cases, necessary expenses resulting from the injury are a legitimate item of damages.As to medical expenses, such as hospital, doctor, and medicine bills, the amount of the damage would be the reasonable value of such expense as was reasonably necessary.

O.C.G.A. § 51-12-7.

Any effort to settle a personal injury case will necessarily include medical expenses – for better or worse. If medical expenses are great, an offer of settle will most likely be a multiple of that expense if liability is clear. On the other hand, if medical expenses are minimal, the settlement proposal will necessarily be diminished on the basis that, if medical expenses are not great, the impact was not great.

Our Macon personal injury lawyers are experienced in maximizing the recovery in all varieties of personal injury cases, not simply those cases in which there is clear liability and a high level of medical expenses.