After you get into a car accident, there are a few very important things that will likely be on your mind: how can you recover from your injuries, and how can you get compensated for the medical costs and employment losses that you have incurred as a result of those injuries?
Thankfully, there is a well-established process for getting a victim the compensation that they deserve after a car accident, although it often is not the most straightforward or simple experience — especially while you are trying to focus on your physical recovery.
Hiring a personal injury attorney can be one of the best decisions that you make early on after a car accident. Thankfully, there are lawyer referral services that connect victims with attorneys so that the people most in need of compensation and help can partner with an experienced legal professional who will help to reduce the stress and uncertainty of the claims process while maximizing the chances of a good outcome for the victim.
With that in mind, here is a brief overview of how compensation typically works after a car accident.
What Is a Car Accident Victim Compensated For After an Accident?
Depending on the accident — and especially depending on the injuries that the victim sustains in the accident — there are a variety of different factors that will go into determining the amount of money that a victim is entitled to. In addition to the nature and severity of their injuries, the victim’s financial situation and income play into the compensation as well, since any missed time from work or issues with earning their normal pay will also be included in the damages being sought.
As you can imagine, this means that there are a very wide range of possible amounts that a victim may seek after an accident, which is best determined with the help of a car accident lawyer who understands each of these factors and understands how to put them together as effectively as possible to build a strong argument.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the central issue in a claim, because they are the most simple to measure and calculate. They include the costs and expenses associated with any related medical treatment, but they additionally calculate things like lost wages, disability, and short- or long-term injuries. You and your attorney will be able to work together to go through all of the different costs and expenses in order to compile an accurate and comprehensive list of reasonable damages. If you had to use any paid time off or vacation days in order to cover your missed days at work, you will be able to seek reimbursement for these in addition to the actual unpaid days that you missed as well.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are more complicated to calculate than economic damages, simply because they do not have actual dollar values associated with the damages that you have incurred. They include things like pain and suffering from your injuries, as well as any additional emotional damages that you must endure like loss of enjoyment, fear, or depression. In order to calculate non-economic damages, there are a variety of different methods that an attorney will employ in order to reach an accurate and fair amount. One of the most typical methods is by using a number along a scale to indicate the severity of these damages and using it as a multiplier against the economic damages. Your attorney will determine the most appropriate method in order to get you the money that you truly deserve.
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[…] crux of any claim, how much money can you get? Well, that depends on the type of injury, who is to blame, how the accident occurred […]