After an accident, you may be unsure how much you are legally entitled to in compensation. While certain aspects such as medical bills are fairly easy to calculate, others that include emotional suffering are far less so. Many victims turn to the assistance of a personal injury lawyer to calculate and pursue a fair level of compensation. In this article, we share with you different factors that can add to the damage claims of your personal injury claim and how to calculate them.
The first and most straightforward damage claim would be medical expenses. Besides the bills you receive that cover treatment, hospitalization, physical therapy, rehabilitation, medical equipment, follow ups and more, you should also add in transportation to and from the clinic or hospital. These expenses are often recoverable if liability has been established on the other party. However, if you are insured, most policies dictate that you hand over any settlement you receive if they have already paid for your medical expenses. If you have any uninsured expenses though, include them in this calculation.
If you have been involved in a personal injury case, chances are, you missed some time off work. Depending on the severity of the accident, this could range from a day to weeks and even months. Calculate how much work you missed and the loss of income that resulted and add it to your claim. An exception is if your job covers all the sick time you have incurred – since you suffered no loss income wise, you cannot claim for compensation.
This category is often the trickiest to calculate. Pain and suffering refer to non-financial losses you suffered as a result of the accident. This can include but are not limited to emotional trauma and distress, loss of a loved one, loss of companionship, inability to partake in hobbies you used to enjoy and more. It can be difficult to put a numerical value on these – the general rule of thumb is to ask for 3 to 5 times of the out-of-pocket damages (medical expenses and loss of income) you are claiming. When in doubt, always let your lawyer advise you. Their experience handling similar cases will give them a better idea how much to claim to maximize your chances of success.
Do not dismiss the pain and suffering you have suffered as a result of the accident. These are losses that can take away from your emotional health and quality of life and you deserve to be compensated for them.
If you have a personal injury claim, you can count on expert representation from Corradino &Papa, LLC. With more than twenty-five years of experience representing victims, we have managed to build a wide base of satisfied clients and a successful track record. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Disclaimer: Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.