Being injured in any type of accident can be a stressful time. Not only are you in pain, but you most likely are losing time from work and have medical bills piling up. Fortunately, personal injury law provides accident victims with a way to seek payment for their accident related expenses and lost wages. The following is an overview of how personal injury law pertains to accident cases and how much compensation accident victims could receive if they are successful in their lawsuit. If you have been hurt in an accident, do not wait to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to discuss all of the options available to you under the law.
Accident Types
While accidents occur in many different ways, some are more commonplace than others. Personal injury law covers accidents such as:
- Medical Malpractice
- Slip And Falls
- Automobile Accidents
- Commercial Truck Accidents
- Birth Injuries
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Accidents Involving Bicyclists
Injury Types
The severity of injuries typically depend on the type of accident the victim is involved in and the force of impact. Some of the most common types of injuries that lead to personal injury case filings in the United States today are:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Broken Bones
- Closed Head Injuries
- Facial Disfigurment
- Limb Amputations
- Whiplash
- Back Injuries
- Defective products (car parts)
- Injuries To The Cervical Spine
Damages And Compensation
While the amount of compensation accident victims receive can vary greatly depending upon the circumstances of the accident and the laws in your state, some of the most commonly awarded damages include:
- Ambulance Costs
- Doctor Bills
- Surgery Fees
- Hospital Bills
- Cost Of Physical, Speech Or Occupational Therapy
- Cost Of Alternate Transportation
- Price Of Home Health Care
- Lost Wages
- Price Of Medical Devices
- Mental Anguish
- Pain And Suffering
What If I Am Disabled?
If the accident you were involved in caused you to be permanently disabled, you may be awarded a settlement to compensation you for future lost income. This is a settlement given to people who would have been able to earn money over the course of their career but cannot because the accident rendered them incapable of working. You may also be awarded a partial future lost income settlement if you can return to work, but will make far less money than if you had not been injured. Calculating future lost income is a very precise process and is best handled by an experienced personal injury attorney to be sure you receive the compensation you deserve.
What Are Punitive Damages?
The court may order a defendant in a personal injury lawsuit to pay punitive damages to the accident victim in certain cases. Punitive damages are typically awarded in cases of gross negligence and are designed to be harsh, so the defendant does not commit the same act in the future and injure someone else. Whether or not you are entitled to punitive damages depends on the circumstances surrounding your claim and the laws in the state in which the case is filed as not every state allows punitive damages to be awarded.
Does My Case Qualify?
Not every injury case will qualify for a personal injury lawsuit, i.e. products where negligence is harder to prove. When you are the plaintiff in a personal injury case, you bear the burden of proof in your case. You must be able to prove the accident was due to the reckless or negligent behavior of someone else. In the event you need immediate access, you can get a hard money loan, or lawsuit funding, to enable you to continue litigating. You must also show the court that your injuries were the direct result of the defendant’s actions and were not a pre-existing condition.
If you have been the victim of an accident, contact a personal injury attorney to learn if you have a valid claim. After speaking with you, an attorney will let you know how to proceed with your lawsuit so you can obtain the compensation for your injuries.