What’s a Good Settlement for a Broken Foot or Ankle in Massachusetts?

Accidents and injuries are a fact of life, and most people experience an injury at some point in their lives. When someone else is responsible for causing the accident that hurt you, they may agree to negotiate a settlement to avoid a trial. Settlements can be a great way to get compensation quickly, but you need to know what a good settlement is for your specific injury.

For cases involving a broken foot or ankle, settlements depend on numerous factors. We must consider how the injury affected your life and financial costs. Severe injuries generally warrant greater settlements. Minor injuries might net smaller settlements. In the end, a good settlement should adequately cover your damages, whatever they might be. Factors to consider when negotiating a settlement for a foot or ankle injury include the costs of medical care, pain and suffering, and any long-term complications from the injury. By the same token, we should know what a bad settlement looks like so we can avoid it. A bad settlement might leave damages and costs unaccounted for.

To get a free, private review of your case from our Massachusetts personal injury lawyers, call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407.

A Good Settlement for A Broken Foot or Ankle in Massachusetts

There is no single definition of a “good” settlement. Whether or not a settlement is good depends on your damages and the unique factors surrounding your case. Our Massachusetts personal injury attorneys can work with you to negotiate a settlement with the defendant, and we must think about your overall damages, our evidence, and the circumstances surrounding the accident.

First, we must consider how the injury has affected you and related costs. Was the accident itself traumatic or embarrassing? Was your broken foot or ankle extremely painful? What kind of medical care did you need? All these details may help us determine what your claims are worth and what a good settlement should look like.

A more severe injury might require more extensive medical care, and a higher settlement may be necessary. A less serious injury that heals quickly is unlikely to fetch a very high settlement. Remember, a good settlement is not necessarily a high settlement. At the end of the day, a good settlement should be fair and adequately cover your damages. If your damages are not extremely high, a good settlement does not have to be extremely high.

Even so, you must make sure that you and our Somerville, Ma personal injury lawyers accurately evaluate your damages. We risk getting a bad settlement if we undervalue or underestimate your damages.

Factors to Consider When Negotiating a Settlement for a Broken Foot or Ankle in Massachusetts

Every case is unique. Two people who both have a broken foot or ankle might have completely different damages, and different settlements might be necessary. Below are just a few factors that are unique to your situation, and they all must be considered when we negotiate a settlement.

Financial Costs

A broken ankle or foot is not just painful. The injury might also be quite expensive. If you have a broken foot or ankle, you must get to a doctor for treatment immediately. While fractures are common injuries that tend to fully heal with proper treatment, some injuries are more complex and might require more extensive and costly treatment. Medical care involving X-rays, pain medicine, and even surgical treatments in severe cases might be necessary.

A broken foot or ankle might make going to work very difficult for some. If you work on your feet, having a broken foot might mean you cannot go to work at all while you recover. In some cases, people lose a significant amount of income because they cannot return to work for a while. Lost income should be factored into a settlement.

Pain and Suffering

The economic costs of your injuries are not the only costs we should be thinking about. Painful injuries like fractures, especially fractures in your foot or ankle, can be very painful. While enduring significant physical pain might not come with a price tag, you still deserve fair compensation. On top of that, we should consider what the accident was like. Was it especially scary or traumatic? Maybe it was deeply humiliating and happened at work in front of your coworkers. These and other painful experiences deserve consideration when we negotiate a good settlement.

Long-Term Complications

It can be tempting to file a case for your injuries and work out a settlement as soon as possible. However, there might be some advantages to waiting a bit before we start any legal action. Injuries do not always heal the way we want them to. By waiting, we can keep an eye on how your broken foot or ankle heals. If it does not heal properly, or you experience other complications or permanent damage, we may be able to argue for a higher settlement.

How to Avoid a Bad Settlement for a Broken Foot or Ankle in Massachusetts

In order to get a good settlement, we need to understand what makes a bad settlement. Your first step should be to call a lawyer to discuss your injuries and damages. Your lawyer should be able to tell you whether you have a strong case and whether a good settlement is possible. If not, other legal options might exist.

Have your injury thoroughly evaluated by a doctor. Continue monitoring the injury throughout the recovery process and even after you have recovered. People sometimes assume their case is worth no more than the cost of medical care, but this is not true. If the injury is painful or you encounter medical complications, you might deserve a bigger settlement.

You should also keep accurate records of costs. Keep track of medical bills and receipts for other costs. Losing track of damages is a great way to undervalue your claims and end up with a bad settlement.