Even minor car accidents can be devastating. Financial hardships can be severe for victims of car accidents. From medical bills to lost wages, property damage to emotional distress.
An experienced auto accident attorney can help victims recover compensation for their losses and move forward with their lives. An attorney can ensure that your damages are taken into account when building a case.
Medical Treatment
Car accidents are traumatic experiences for the victims, who may be dealing with lacerations, broken bones, internal injuries, trauma to the head or other serious problems that require weeks of medical and rehabilitative care. Medical bills can be thousands of dollars if the victim is covered by PIP or has medical insurance. In addition, if you do not see a doctor within a certain time frame, you may lose your right to compensation from the auto insurance company.
Some car accidents cause injuries that are not immediately apparent. Symptoms may appear days or even hours after the accident. Common late-appearing accident injuries include concussions and soft-tissue injuries, such as whiplash. This is because the swelling of the body in the injured area can take some time, which causes the brain and other tissues register the pain.
Property Damages
You may be entitled to compensation if you have property that has been damaged or destroyed by a car accident. This is because the insurance of the driver at fault will cover this. You can also recover damages under your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage or your homeowner’s insurance policy if you have one. A qualified lawyer can help you determine what types of property damage are covered by your insurance policy and how much compensation may be available.
Damages to property can include repair or replacement costs for damaged items such as a car, furniture or electronics. You can also get compensation for noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering, both physical and mental, that you have suffered in the aftermath of an accident. These damages are more difficult to quantify, but can have a major impact on your life.
It is important to have as many documents as possible to support your property damage claim. This includes repair estimates and photographs of the damages, as well as the value of your property. It’s also a good idea to keep track of any purchases you have made since the accident that might be relevant to your claim.
A car crash lawyer who is experienced can help you get compensated for all your damages. It is essential to have legal representation because insurance companies routinely low-ball and challenge victims in an attempt to avoid paying them what they are owed. If you were injured in an accident caused by another party, it is even more critical to contact a lawyer as soon as possible. If you wait, it may be too late to file your lawsuit within the statute of limitations.
Lost Wages
Injury in a car accident can change your life and put financial strain on you and your family. Losing income due to missing work in order to receive medical treatment or heal can be a result of being unable to work. You deserve compensation for the time that you missed due to your injuries. Filing a claim to recover lost wages can be challenging because the insurance company might deny it or take months to settle.
To calculate your lost wages, you will need to provide detailed documentation. We can use wage confirmation letters from your employers to confirm important employment information, such as the days missed, pay levels, and number hours you typically work each week. We can use receipts to confirm the services you hired for housekeeping, transport, or other duties related to your job during your recovery.
Depending on who is at fault for the accident, you can file your lost wages claim through the other driver’s liability bodily injury coverage or your own PIP coverage. You can sue if the at-fault party does not have enough insurance or no insurance to cover you.
It is important to keep in mind that the amount you can receive for your lost wages damages does not include any sick leave or vacation time that you had earned but were forced to use due to your car accident injuries. You can also recover compensation for time missed at work due to travel to and from medical appointments.
Medical Payments
Car accidents are traumatic and can leave behind significant medical bills, property damage, and lost income. Many victims have questions about the amount of compensation they should get to help them recover from an accident. A car accident attorney can help victims pursue monetary damages for their losses. Medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering are the most common types car accident compensation.
Medical payments, or med pay, is an optional car insurance coverage that pays for medical-related expenses for you and your passengers after a crash, regardless of fault. The policy typically covers a wide range of costs, including health insurance deductibles and co-pays, visits to doctors or hospitals, x-rays and surgery, and rehabilitation and nursing care. It may cover some medical equipment like prostheses.
Some states have no-fault systems that limit the amount you can receive from another driver’s insurance to cover your medical costs. However, if your injuries are severe enough to meet a threshold set by the state, you can file a lawsuit against the other driver to seek additional financial compensation for your medical and non-economic losses.
A personal injury lawyer will gather evidence, offer legal advice and negotiate with insurers to ensure you receive maximum compensation for any losses. A lawyer who charges excessive fees may reduce the amount that you receive from a verdict or settlement. Many attorneys only work on a contingent basis, meaning that they are paid only if you win – either in court, or through a settlement.
Punitive Damages
There are some cases where victims may seek punitive damages. These damages are intended as a punishment for the party who is at fault if they have engaged in extreme and egregious conduct that goes beyond normal negligence. This category of damages is usually applied to accidents that involve drunk driving or reckless driving.
Economic damages, which are also referred to as actual damages, include the costs of a victim’s medical bills and property losses. These damages are measurable and can be documented through receipts and other records. Some of the most devastating damage a victim can suffer after a vehicle accident is intangible. This includes the loss enjoyment of life. It can include things like not being able to do activities that you used to do regularly, such as taking your kids to the park, going to the beach, or visiting family and friends. It can also include a loss of income or future earning potential.
Non-economic damages are the other main category of damage that a victim can claim in their lawsuit. This type of damage is more difficult to quantify, but is often based on a victim’s pain and suffering. This includes a victim’s physical and emotional distress after the accident, such as mental anguish, anxiety, depression and inconvenience.
An attorney will examine the evidence and determine your losses to determine if you can recover damages following a car accident. This will most likely include reviewing police reports, witness testimony, digital evidence, and other factors. An experienced attorney will know which evidence to pursue in order to ensure that you are fully compensated for your injuries and losses.
