Truly Exceptional Counsel When You Need It Most REACH OUT TO ME

Working With A Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You Recover Your Accident Related Injuries

April 3, 2017

Working with a personal injury attorney can help you to recover more financial damages for your accident-related injuries. This is due to experience and the understanding of the type of damages that may apply to your case. When an accident victim is injured, some will contact an attorney thinking that all damages are the same. This is a common mistake and there is no harm in making it if an attorney is hired.

However, negotiating with the insurance company on your own, not having an understanding of the types of damages can lead to a lower settlement than is necessary. Keeping that in mind, here is a breakdown of the potential damages that are available in most injury lawsuits.

Economic damages

As a personal injury attorney valuing a case, I start with economic damages. These are the tangible results of an injury. For example, medical bills are a tangible expense. A patient visits the doctor and the doctor charges for those services. Medical bills that are likely to continue into the future are also economic damages even though they have not yet occurred. Other examples include:

  • Lost wages from being unable to work either permanently or during the recovery

  • Expenses related to repairing or replacing damaged property

  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation expenses

  • Cost to hire help or caregivers

  • Transportation expenses

Any expenses that can be documented using bills, receipts or logical projections could be considered economic damages. They are not open to significant interpretation by a jury because they are clear, tangible and provable, in most cases. While the other side may argue projections, it is standard to demand all of the economic damages incurred as a result of the personal injury. The key is proving it with the help of an attorney.

Non-economic damages

An accident related injury will impact a person's life in ways that extend far beyond the financial. There could be issues of not being able to play with the children or lift them. Problems could arise with doing normal daily activities that require full mobility and strength. Even things that are enjoyable previously, may no longer be possible after an injury. For this reason, as an attorney, I can ask the jury to award non-economic damages. These are damages that should pay for the pain and suffering caused by the impact the accident has had on life.

Juries typically award money for pain and suffering based on interpretation of the facts presented by an attorney, making it important to hire an experienced one.

Punitive damages

In some specific cases additional damages are available When the actions of the negligent party are particularly dangerous or worth punishing, An Injured party may be awarded punitive damages. These damages are designed to punish the negligent party and hopefully prevent the same type of behavior from recurring.

Learn more by scheduling an appointment

To speak with a personal injury attorney about your case, call my office and schedule an appointment. I can review the merits of your case, what is likely to happen and begin to evaluate the potential value of your case.

Note: This is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.