What Compensation Can I Receive From My Personal Injury Case?
What Compensation Can I Receive From My Personal Injury Case?
What Compensation Can I Receive From My Personal Injury Case?
Personal injuries often result in more than just some medical bills.
In fact, some injuries can require extensive time off work and ongoing
therapy. You may need time to heal and may bear emotional scars for some
time to come. Your injuries may affect your livelihood and your ability
to support your family. Obviously in these cases, simple reimbursement
for medical bills will not begin to suffice.
Here are some damages typically considered as part of a personal injury claim:
Medical
bills and future medical expenses: This includes any medical services
or treatment you received as part of your accident. It covers expenses
such as physician, surgical, and hospital bills, physical therapy,
crutches or a wheelchair, medical testing (x-rays, CAT scans, etc.) and
other medical bills you incur. Your physician and therapists may need to
provide information about the amount of medical care you may require in
the future. For example, you may require ongoing physical or
occupational therapy to regain full mobility. Your medical bill
calculation is very important, as other recovery is based on your total
medical expenses.
Loss of income and loss of earning capacity: If your injuries were significant, you likely required time off work. Your
attorney
will help you determine the amount of wages you did not receive as a
result of time away from work. If your injuries impact the ability to
perform your job, you must determine your loss of earning capacity.
Perhaps you worked on a construction site but now, because of your
injuries, you must work at an office job. If you cannot earn as much
money in your job due to your injuries, you have a loss of earning
capacity. This should be included in your claim.
Pain and suffering and emotional damages:
It is difficult to attach a monetary amount to physical pain and
suffering. Often insurance companies use a multiplier to calculate such
values. They take the total medical expenses and multiply it between 1.5
and 5 times and then present this amount as the value for pain and
suffering. The multiplier can range tremendously based on negligence,
especially painful injuries, loss of mobility, ongoing pain, or the
likelihood of future medical expenses.
Many individuals experience
mental anguish as a result of their accident and injuries. Perhaps you
have been traumatized emotionally and now experience ongoing fear.
Emotional damages can be difficult to prove, however, as they cannot be
quantified. Just as it is important to keep medical records for your
case, take the time to keep mental health records as well.
Property loss:
Perhaps the easiest to calculate, property loss compensates you for any
of your property that was damaged. This may include your automobile,
clothing, or personal items.
Other damages, such as disability and
loss of consortium, may apply to your case. Your personal injury
attorney can help you understand the compensation you may receive as a
result of your case.
If you have questions about your potential settlement, call
Eisenberg Law Offices for a
free consultation today. Our experienced personal injury attorneys will battle vigorously on your behalf to get you the compensation you deserve.
