Getting into a car accident caused by a negligent driver is one of the most frightening, disheartening experiences you can have. After all, a motor vehicle crash can leave you with more than just physical scars — it can also leave you with emotional and financial ones.
Unfortunately, sometimes car accidents are inevitable due to other motorists’ decisions to behave carelessly behind the wheel. Fortunately, you have the right to pursue the following types of damages after these types of accidents.
The cost of your medical care
Following an injury from a crash, you may also seek compensation for the medical costs you accrue as a result of the collision. These include expenses related to an ambulance service, nursing services, treatment in an emergency room, a hospital stay and doctor visits. In addition, if you will need medical care in the future due to your injury, you may receive compensation for this as well. The doctor treating you may be able to provide an estimate of how much your future medical costs will be.
Any loss of your ability to earn an income
If you can no longer earn money due to your accident-related injuries, you may also be able to recover damages for this. A variety of factors can help with determining whether you will receive an award, including the following:
- Your age
- Your health
- Your life expectancy
- Your talents and skills
- Your experience and training
- Your occupation
In addition, your previous earnings may come in handy for determining how much compensation you may receive for your lost earning capacity.
Any disfigurement from your injuries
If a car crash has left you disfigured or deformed, you may pursue damages for the mental suffering that might arise as a result of the awareness of such disfigurement. For instance, perhaps the car accident led to permanent effects on your personal appearance, such as physical scarring.
The income you lost due to the accident
Perhaps you are unable to work for an extended period due to your accident-related injuries but will be able to return to work in the future. In this situation, you can seek compensation for lost wages. The compensation you receive in a successfully fought case will represent the amount of income you would have received between your injury date to the judgment date.
Monetary damages in a successfully fought personal injury claim cannot undo the events leading to your car accident injuries. However, they can help you to more easily move forward from a potentially life-altering wreck.