Car accident victims are usually most concerned about reclaiming their normal lives. After all, their accident injuries may leave them with limited physical mobility, extensive pain, psychological traumatization, hefty medical bills and lost income. All of these downward forces can leave a car accident victim uncertain and worried about the future. While this stress is certainly understandable, it shouldn’t deter individuals like you from seeking the accountability and compensation deserved.
Yet, most crash victims are unsure about how to navigate the personal injury process, and as a result they struggle to understand what, exactly, they can get out of their case. We hope that this post will provide some clarity so that you or someone you love will have a better idea of how to advocate for the outcome they need.
What damages are recoverable from a personal injury lawsuit?
Looking at the big picture, accident damages are broken down into two large categories. The first is economic damages. These are financial losses that you can calculate. Your incurred medical expenses, for example are in your billing statements and are thus easy to calculate. The same goes for your lost wages.
But economic losses aren’t just backwards looking. They also consider your anticipated losses. So, if you’re going to need ongoing medical treatment and rehabilitative care, then you can seek compensation for it through your personal injury case. The same holds true for your anticipated lost wages and any damage caused to your earnings capacity, such as if your accident injuries prevent you from advancing in your career.
The second category of damages that you’ll want to address are non-economic damages. As the name implies, these are losses that aren’t financial in nature. Your pain and suffering, lost enjoyment of life and your mental anguish fall into this category. At first glance, these damages might seem hard to prove, but you can gather evidence of these damages by keeping a journal that details how your accident injuries have changed your ability to live your normal life. The more specific you can be, the better.
The exact amount of compensation that you recover from your case will depend on the unique facts in play. So, just be sure to fully analyze your economic and non-economic losses with your attorney so that you have a figure in mind going into your case. Using a damages worksheet might be a helpful starting point.
Using experts to prove your damages
While your medical records, employment records and personal accounts can go a long way toward proving your losses, they still may not be enough to get you where you want to be. That’s why you might want to consider using experts to bolster your claim. For example, a medical professional can give the judge and jury a more realistic view of the extent of your injuries, your need for ongoing care and how your injuries will negatively impact your ability to engage in the activities you love. You might also be able to rely on testimony from a mental health professional and an expert in your field of employ.
Given the weight that’s often assigned to the testimony of expert witnesses, you’ll want to be as thorough as possible here to give yourself the best possible chance of securing the outcome you want.
Ready yourself to fight for the compensation you deserve
You only get one shot at presenting your personal injury claim. Therefore, leave no stone unturned in your case. Diligently analyze the harm that’s been caused to you and how you can best present your losses to the defense and the jury. Once you’ve done that, you can home in on developing an effective legal strategy focused on securing favorable resolution.
