Car accidents can result in a variety of different types of damages for victims. Victims may suffer damages including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering damages and loss of companionship. These damages may be available in a variety of personal injury cases, including car accidents, and can result in punitive damages as well in some circumstances. For those who do not know, punitive damages are designed to punish the negligent party such as when a victim has been harmed by a defective product such as a defective vehicle.
Medical expenses and costs can be extensive. Victims may suffer damages including emergency care fees such as ambulance charges, hospital expenses, physical or cognitive therapy and care costs, consultations and medical accessories, as well as in-home care services. Victims may also suffer disfigurement and other permanent injuries.
In addition to medical expenses, victims may be able to recover damages for lost wages and lost future earnings as well. Pain and suffering damages, also oftentimes available to victims, are based on the injury suffered, the seriousness of the pain suffered and the prognosis for the future. Damages related to loss of companionship may be available in personal injury situations, as well as wrongful death situations, depending on the circumstances.
Damages are based on the harm victims have suffered and cannot be speculative, so it is important to be able to correctly valuate the damages suffered. Once someone does put a dollar figure estimate on their losses, personal injury and wrongful death options allow victims to recover compensation for the physical, financial and emotional harm suffered by victims.
Unfortunately, there are a variety of circumstances in which the negligence of another party can cause harm to victims. As a result, it can be vital for victims and their families to be familiar with legal protections to help them with the damages they have suffered because of another party’s negligence in a car or other type of accident.
Source: Injury.findlaw.com, “What Kinds of Damages May I Claim for Car Accident Injuries?” Accessed Feb. 13, 2017