Not everyone involved in a car accident makes the choice to file a lawsuit, but those who do want to know how much their case is worth. Not all accidents are worth much, and not all accidents are worthy of a lawsuit. A personal injury attorney is the best person to approach with this question, and that’s why so many personal injury attorneys charge nothing for an initial consultation. We want to help you understand your legal rights, what you might be entitled to as far as compensation and damages, and what you can expect if you have a case. Not everyone does have a case, but we want to help those who do as well as those who simply need a little direction.
Damages
This is the compensation you get when you are involved in a personal injury lawsuit, and they are different for everyone. What you receive in terms of damages is not what someone else might receive. There are no two accidents alike, and it all depends on the personal case in which you are involved. We cannot tell you how much your case is worth without knowing the details.
– Who caused the accident
– The damages to your vehicle
– The injuries you sustained
– The cost of your medical bills
– The cost of future medical bills associated with your accident
– Lost wages
– Diminished working ability
There are so many different damages you can seek, it’s impossible for us to tell you what your case is worth. What we can tell you is how we determine what your case is worth by discussing your compensatory damages and what they mean to you.
Medical Treatments
If you are injured in an accident, you’ll have medical bills. These are associated only with the injuries you sustained during the accident. This can include anything from your co-pay to your deductible to medication, surgeries, and appointments you require to treat your injuries. If you needed surgery and a stay in the hospital, that’s included. If you need rehabilitation to learn to use a part of your body following an accident and subsequent surgery, that’s included. If you have any future medical bills for serious injuries, those are calculated.
For example, if you are in a car accident and you lose your legs, you’ll be given compensation for all future medical bills you might incur from that, as well as money for the equipment you need to get around without legs. This might include a wheelchair, prosthetic legs, and it might include the additional wheelchair accessibility your home and vehicle require now that you have one in your life.
Income and Lost Wages
Not everyone involved in a car accident loses wages in an accident. You might be injured and not miss more than a few days of work and your boss doesn’t bother to take away your income. If you are injured and need time off and your boss can’t pay you for that time off, you’ll want to be compensated for your lost wages.
If you lose your job because you cannot return to work due to a brain injury or other serious injury, you’ll need to be compensated for the lost income you’ll face the rest of your life. If your injuries allow you to work but not in the same line of work you were previously in before the accident, you might lose income due to being unable to find a job that pays as much as the one you had before. This is another form of lost income called diminished earning capacity. You’ll need compensation for that.
Pain and Suffering
Your entire life changes when you are involved in a serious accident. You might lose a child or spouse, friend or other family member in the accident. You might lose a limb, suffer health problems you cannot get over, or you might live with pain or discomfort for the rest of your life as a result of your injuries. Accident victims are entitled to compensation for that.
Loss of Consortium, Enjoyment, and Emotional Distress
If you’re involved in an accident and now you are terrified of being in a car and develop emotional issues as a result, that’s emotional distress. You’ll need therapy and other forms of help to deal with that. If your spouse leaves you, dies, or you become unable to carry on a normal relationship with your spouse or anyone else due to injuries, it’s loss of consortium. Loss of enjoyment comes from your new inability to enjoy life as you once did. You might not be able to participate in activities you once loved, and your life is no longer as enjoyable as it was in the past. This is something you might receive damages for if you decide to sue for it.
There are other damages you can ask for in a case like this, and it’s all up to you. What your case is worth depends on how severe the accident was, how bad your injuries are, and what you want to ask for in terms of damages. You control how much your accident is worth in the long run, but there is no way we can tell you how much it’s worth until we know the details, how it’s affected your life, and what you want to seek financially.