The term “damages” is commonly used in legal contexts to refer to the financial award individuals receive after suffering injuries or loss of property. Damages in most auto accident cases are a combination of economic and non-economic damages, with individual cases bearing unique proportions of the two kinds of damages.
While non-economic damages often take into account factors that are not monetarily quantifiable, economic losses are a lot easier to value and calculate. If you have been injured and/or have incurred property damage in a car accident, it is advisable to hire a car accident attorney Conyers GA to help you establish the true worth of your losses.
Below are some of the ways through which an auto accident can affect you economically.
Medical bills
Medical expenses often make for the largest part of damages in car accident claims. They include all the costs that have already been incurred in the initial medical care and the later expenses for chiropractic care after a car accident (if necessary). It might also include follow-up appointments with the doctor. Here are a few other costs that are covered in medical expense damages:
- Hospital stays and all miscellaneous costs that may directly or indirectly arise from staying over at the hospital
- Ambulance costs
- Laboratory appointments
- Prosthetic devices
- Remuneration for caregivers and nurses for in-home services
- Crutches and wheelchairs
- Rehabilitation costs
- Cognitive therapy for brain injuries
Injuries can be very easy to underestimate and this could prove extremely costly considering you cannot reverse your decision once you accept a settlement offer. With the help of a lawyer, engage the services of relevant medical experts to ensure your injury is examined properly and all future possibilities are considered. Your medical report should highlight the current extent of your injuries and the worst case scenarios following expected treatments.
Income losses
Injuries can keep you out of work for a lengthy period, affecting your income and, in some instances, leading to permanent loss of job. Georgia personal injury laws compel the at-fault party to compensate the victim of their negligence for all the income they miss out on while nursing their injuries.
Losing your job can arise from more severe injuries such as loss of a limb. The calculations for this level of injuries can be comprehensive and a tad complicated, but the bottom line is that you get compensated for all the current and future losses as well as the potential loss of ability to secure a job in your profession.
Property loss
Property damage may come in the form of damage to your car and other valuable assets in it. All damage to property should be included in the auto accident claim or lawsuit that you file against the liable driver. While minor repairs and resets such as restoring the airbag to its original functionality can be done affordably through service providers such as Safety Restore, any major damage can put a dent in your pockets. Also, you might have to consider damages due to natural disasters because they can cause a heavy load on your pockets. While dealing with incidents like this, you might prefer investing in car insurance for financial aid. There are car repairing service providers who can give special offers, for example, Hail Specialists covers your insurance deductible up to $1000. These services can make handling such instances a lot more easier.
Note that it is possible to recover property loss and bodily injury damages in two separate claims or lawsuits, such that you can have your car repaired or a new one purchased for you while the personal injury case remains pending. Filing separate claims mostly comes in handy when the at-fault party agrees only with part of the claim you have against them.
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