Being injured in a car accident is terrifying and can lead to multiple hardships. However, when the accident was due to negligence, there may be potential legal action that can be taken in order to obtain monetary compensation. The damages you may be entitled to in a personal injury lawsuit can help relieve some of these emotional and physical hardships.
These damages include compensation for economic loss as well as intangible losses like pain and suffering or emotional distress. Additionally, punitive damages may be able to be recovered in certain cases. Understanding the types of damages available can help you understand what you may need covered from the compensation you might receive.
Economic Damages
Financial hardship is likely to occur after being injured in a car accident. From automobile repairs to hospital bills, the cost of a car accident can be high. Fortunately, economic damages may be available to help you with your financial losses.
Any damage from the accident that has a monetary value, including medical bills, damage to property, rehabilitation costs, and lost wages from not being able to work, may be recovered through economic damages. However, there must be clear proof that you need these medical treatments and that they are directly a result of the accident.
If you sustain injuries because of an accident caused by another person's negligence, you may be entitled to full coverage of your medical bills without having to worry about co-pays or out-of-pocket expenses. Medical bills and costs may include:
- Surgery
- Medicine
- Physical therapy
- Hospital stays
- Doctor visits
- Nursing care
- Rehabilitation
- Transportation to receive medical treatment
Essentially, any expenses that are needed to treat your medical issues may be covered. This goes for not only your physical injuries but any other additional injuries that are indirectly a result of the accident, like needing therapy because of depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from the accident.
If your injuries are not fully healed when your case is over, or if they are permanent, then you may be able to receive compensation for future medical expenses. To prove this, a doctor or expert may be consulted and provide a testimony of what the expected medical costs will be in the future.
Non-Economic Damages
Being physically injured in a car accident can clearly lead to financial hardship, but it can also leave one with many emotional hardships as well. Sometimes, the emotional challenges are even more difficult to endure than the financial ones. Because of this, there may be some situations in which compensation is available to cover one's pain and suffering after an accident.
These damages are referred to as "non-economic damages" and are offered to injured individuals for damages that have immediate no monetary value. However, these kinds of damages can often represent the most devastating aspect of an automobile collision. The purpose of these damages is to help the injured person cope with the real impact of being in a car crash. Non-economic damages may be granted in order to compensate one for:
- A reduction in the quality of your life or
- Limitations on your ability to engage in daily activities.
As it can be difficult to calculate compensation for someone's pain and suffering, the amount that can be awarded for non-economic damages is ultimately determined by a jury.
A Bluffton personal injury lawyer can make a convincing argument to help you obtain the right amount of compensation you deserve for the pain, suffering, and discomfort you have experienced due to the accident. Our Bluffton car accident attorneys at Horton & Associates, LLC are dedicated to helping individuals seek the compensation they need following a car accident.
Call our legal team at (843) 420-1344 today to schedule a consultation with our Bluffton car accident attorneys.