The ways that a car accident can cause suffering are seemingly endless: injuries to your physical health, the loss of transportation, financial problems due to missing work and more. Fortunately, you may find a way to get compensation for some of those losses and perhaps even more. Pain and suffering is a less-understood factor in most accident situations, so read on to learn more about what pain and suffering is and how to be compensated for it.
What is pain and suffering? While it may seem impossible to place a dollar figure on something that seems so vague, personal injury law provides for this form of damage payment, and insurance companies are well-versed in calculating this liability. Think for moment about all the ways that you and your family have suffered as a result of the other driver's actions, and you can just imagine all the factors that go into the calculations for a potential offer to settle or for a court judgment.
Tracking those damages. In many cases, the personal injury process can seem never-ending. Imagine that your case finally came to trial after as much as 6 or 9 months from the accident. Will you be able to remember and adequately describe how the accident has affected you? Many people will find it a struggle to remember, unless they have been using some memory props all along. As soon as possible after your accident, begin a notebook or journal to record everything you can remember about the wreck and all that followed. Not only will this method of recording benefit you when the time for your deposition or trial comes, but many therapists recommend using this way of getting your thoughts on paper as beneficial to your mental health.
Tracking your medical treatment and expenses and why it's important. Most victims of car accidents do seek medical treatment, but never give the costs associated with that treatment a second thought. After all, your medical expenses may be covered by insurance, so those expenses are often taken for granted. What many people fail to realize is that the amount of their medical expenses will play a key role in their settlement calculations. This dollar figure serves as an important factor not just in the amount of your total damages, but it may also be used as a multiplier to determine special damages. For example, the more medical treatment you have had and the higher the amount of expenses, the greater your pain and suffering award might be.
Talk to an auto accident attorney as soon as possible to get the compensation you deserve.
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