What Are Monetary Damages In A Car Accident Claim?

There are generally two different types of monetary damages awarded in a car accident case, one award is to cover the actual financial expenses related to the incident, and the other to compensate the victim and/or their family for the emotional toll of the accident. Will your motor vehicle accident claim include pain and suffering compensation? Here’s what you need to know. 

The Basic Damages Calculated in a Car Accident Claim 

Basic, or economic damages, are the most common type of compensation requested in a car accident claim. This compensation is designed to cover quantifiable expenses like hospital bills, funeral expenses if someone died in the accident, lost wages due to being unable to work, and vehicle repair. Your lawyer can help you gather itemized statements for each of these expenses and add them to your claim.

When Is Pain and Suffering Included? 

When you’ve been hurt in a car crash that you weren’t at fault for, you deserve financial restitution for any physical, mental, and emotional suffering you’ve endured. These non-economic damages rely heavily on how severe the accident and your resulting injuries were. If you were critically hurt or permanently or semi-permanently disabled, your settlement is likely to be higher than if you had a relatively simple healing period and returned to daily tasks without much difficulty.

How Pain and Suffering Damages Are Calculated 

The most difficult damages to calculate after a car collision are non-economic damages like suffering and physical pain. No itemized bill exists for these damages, so the judge and your legal team must use their discretion to determine what fair compensation looks like for you. Your economic damages may be multiplied by a factor of 2, 3, or 4 depending on the severity of your injuries, or your lawyer may suggest you be paid a dollar value for each day of pain. Discuss with your lawyer ways to show the reality of the severity of your suffering to increase the chances of fair compensation. 

When to Contact a Car Accident Lawyer 

If you were hurt in a car accident, you may deserve more compensation than just what it costs for your medical bills and vehicle damage. Depending on the level of pain and suffering you’ve had to endure, this may also qualify for compensation. This can increase your settlement award exponentially, but it’s difficult waters to navigate. Get help from an experienced car accident attorney by calling May Injury Law today.