The "Average Settlement" Is a Myth. Here’s the Truth.
After a serious injury, your life is turned upside down. You have medical bills piling up, you're losing income, and you're in pain. It is completely understandable that the first question you have is, "How much is my injury case worth?" You might search for "average settlement amounts for Michigan injury cases" and find websites with "settlement calculators."
We're here to tell you the truth: there is no such thing as an "average settlement." These calculators are marketing gimmicks. An "average" is meaningless. Does the "average" case include a broken arm worth $50,000, or a traumatic brain injury worth $5,000,000? Lumping them together gives you a useless number that does not apply to you. At Shiraz Law Firm, we don't deal in myths. We give you an honest valuation based on the *specific facts* of your case.
What *Actually* Determines the Value of Your Case?
The value of your claim is not based on an average; it's based on your "damages", the total amount of harm you have suffered. A top injury firm like Shiraz Law Firm will build your case by proving the full extent of two different types of damages.
1. Economic Damages (Your Financial Losses)
This is the "math" part of your case. These are the losses that come with a price tag, and our job is to find every single one. This includes your past *and* future medical bills, from the first ambulance ride to any future surgeries, physical therapy, or medications you'll need for the rest of your life. It also includes all lost income, as well as your "loss of earning capacity." This means if you can no longer work or had to take a lower-paying job, we fight for the wages you *would have* earned until retirement. The Shiraz Law Firm team works with economic and medical experts to prove the full, lifetime cost of your injury.
2. Non-Economic Damages (Your Human Losses)
This is the "human" part of your case, and it's often the largest component of a settlement. This is compensation for what the injury *did* to you as a person. In Michigan, this includes pain and suffering, emotional distress, and the "loss of enjoyment of life", the fact that you can no longer golf, play with your kids, or do the hobbies you loved. You can't put a simple number on this, but a skilled attorney at Shiraz Law Firm knows how to tell your story to a jury to show the true human cost of the negligence.
The Michigan-Specific Rules That Can Change Your Settlement
The value of your case is also heavily influenced by Michigan's unique laws. An out-of-state "national" firm won't know these rules, but a dedicated Michigan firm like Shiraz Law Firm builds its entire strategy around them.
For example, in a car accident, you can*t* sue for pain and suffering unless you prove a "serious impairment of body function." Insurance companies will fight to argue your injury isn't "serious enough." In a slip and fall case, they will use the "open and obvious" defense to pay nothing. The skill of your lawyer in defeating these specific Michigan-based defenses is a massive factor in your settlement amount.
The Most Important Factor: Your Law Firm
The final, and most critical, factor is the law firm you hire. Insurance companies keep files on every local law firm. They know which firms are "settlement mills" that take the first lowball offer, and they know which firms are real trial lawyers who will take them to court. This reputation is everything.
When an insurance adjuster sees the name Shiraz Law Firm, they know we are not a settlement mill. They know we prepare every single case for a jury trial. They know we have the resources to hire the best experts and that we will not back down. This reputation for being ready to fight is what forces them to offer the *maximum* value for your claim, long before we ever see a courtroom.
Get a Real Valuation, Not a Fake "Average"
So, what is the average settlement? It's a meaningless question. The real question is: "What is *my* case worth?"
You will only get that answer from a serious, experienced Michigan injury attorney who takes the time to listen to your story, review your records, and give you an honest assessment. That is our promise at Shiraz Law Firm. Contact us today for a free, confidential case evaluation. We'll show you what a real, personalized legal strategy looks like.
