Have you been in a car accident in the Fayetteville, Arkansas area, or in Eastern Oklahoma? Whether you’ve just suffered an auto accident, or you’re in the middle of treating your accident-related injuries, there’s a good chance you are entitled to compensation under the law. However, you will be expected to prove your case before you’ll be able to collect an injury award. Damages you may be able to claims including monetary such as for lost wages, past and future medical bills, vehicle repair or replacement costs, as well as pain and suffering.
Some damages like medical bills and lost wages are fairly easy to assess, while pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life are more complex. The best way to make sure you get what is owed is to work with an experienced Arkansas personal injury lawyer. This post will give you an overview of what to expect and consider for your car accident case.
What is My Case Worth?
People usually hire accident attorneys because they don’t know or understand the full value of their case and how to get fairly compensated. Although quantifying personal injury settlements is far from an exact science, there are general formulas that an experienced personal injury attorney can follow to calculate a rough idea of what you’re entitled to.
What Damages Am I Entitled To?
In general, personal injury damages are calculated based on the severity of your injuries. Compensatory damages are intended to compensate for economic or intangible losses or injuries, while punitive damages are designed to punish for especially egregious conduct on the part of the at-fault party. For example, if the other driver was intoxicated, or racing at the time.
Car Accident Compensatory Damages
Compensatory damages address your losses. Depending on the nature of your car accident you may be able to claim damages in one or all of the following categories:
- Property Damage – Even a seemingly minor car accident can result in thousands of dollars of damage to your vehicle. If your car is totaled, you’ll need to consider the cost of a new car as well as rental car fees you’ll be paying while your car is being replaced or repaired. Property damage also covers personal property that was damaged or lost in the accident including clothing, eyeglasses, mobile devices, computers, and work equipment.
- Physical Injuries – Physical injuries are one of the more straightforward types of damages to quantify. They can include ambulance trips, emergency room charges, hospitalizations, diagnostic tests, doctor appointments, medications, surgeries, medical equipment, therapy, pain management, rehab, and any other type of medically related procedures. If your injuries are permanent, your attorney will ask your physician for an opinion regarding the cost of future medical treatment and factor that in as well.
- Lost Wages – Your injuries may cause you to miss a few days of work, or you may never be able to work again. In both cases, you will have a claim for lost wages. To calculate your claim, your lawyer will consider the following factors:
- How much time from work was lost?
- How much income did you lose?
- Will you be able to perform your work duties or will retraining be necessary?
- If retraining is necessary, how much will it cost?
- As a result of the accident did you sustain a permanent disability that will result in a long-term wage loss claim?
- Will your injuries lower your future earning capacity?
- Pain and Suffering – It’s very hard to put a dollar value on pain and suffering despite how real it is. Generally, the more significant your injury, the greater the value of your pain and suffering claim.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life – Loss of enjoyment of life is the loss that results from physical impairments resulting from an injury that severely limits your future ability to do what you love. It could be losing the ability to hike, bike, play with your children, or even sitting long enough to enjoy a baseball game.
Contact an Experienced Arkansas Injury Lawyer
A car accident is a life-altering experience. If you’ve been injured in an accident or suffered damages, the best way to ensure you get fairly compensated is to hire a car accident attorney. Accidents happen, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer unjustly.
Call Shawn Daniels Today and Get the Compensation You Deserve
(479) 521-7000