How Much Can You Get For Pain And Suffering From A Car Accident?
Are you in pain after being involved in a car accident?
A car accident claim that includes compensation for injuries sustained in the car accident can prove difficult to manage. Insurance companies may pay out quickly when you suffer property damage in a car accident, but an injury claim can drag out considerably longer.
You may have the right to considerable pain and suffering compensation for car accident injuries. However, getting awarded pain and suffering settlements is often more difficult than anticipated.
Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in Columbus, OH, if you believe you are entitled to a pain and suffering settlement due to your car accident.
Common Causes of Car Accidents
Car accidents can occur for a variety of reasons. Some common causes of car accidents include:
- Driver distraction
- Drunk driving
- Speeding
- Ignoring traffic signals, including running red lights
- Aggressive driving behaviors
- Failure to yield
- Tailgating
- Brake errors
In addition, car accidents may occur because of factors outside the driver’s control. For example, a car accident could occur due to dangerous weather conditions or because of a mechanical malfunction in the vehicle.
How Much Compensation Can You Usually Recover in a Car Accident Personal Injury Claim?
A settlement for a car accident usually involves several essential factors. The exact settlement amount you will recover may depend on the extent of your injuries, the bills you have had to pay because of your accident, and the suffering you faced because of your injuries.
Actual settlement amounts can vary substantially. However, most personal injury claims will include compensation for your medical expenses from the accident, any lost wages you may have faced because of the accident, and pain and suffering related to the accident.
Consulting with a lawyer can give you a better idea of the compensation you should realistically expect after your car accident. Insurance companies may also have specific policy limitations that may determine how much compensation you can recover.
A lawyer can help you look over the details of those policies to maximize your settlement results.
What Determines the Amount for Pain and Suffering Damages in a Car Accident?
Most car accident damages can be proved directly. You can submit a copy of the medical records showing the medical bills you had to pay because of your accident. These damages fall into the special damages category.
Pain and suffering from a car accident, on the other hand, fall into a category of their own. You cannot prove pain and suffering as easily as you can other, more tangible expenses.
Talk to your lawyer about calculating the settlement amount you may deserve for pain and suffering. Your lawyer may use one of two methods to calculate that settlement amount.
How Much Financial Loss Was Experienced
Your lawyer may calculate compensation for pain and suffering based on a percentage of the compensation you deserve for the special damages associated with your accident, like your medical bills. In other words, if your medical expenses were high, your physical pain was likely severe.
How Many Days You Were in Physical Pain
Your lawyer may calculate pain and suffering based on a per diem, or per day, rate, which would allow you to receive compensation based on how many days you suffered from those injuries before you made as full a recovery as possible.
Emotional Effects of Physical Injuries
Pain and suffering might include the physical pain associated with your injury or the emotional distress you went through following a devastating diagnosis. Talk to your lawyer about the suffering you have faced and how your injuries have impacted your life after the accident.
How Can a Lawyer Help You Learn More About Pain and Suffering Damages?
Car insurance companies may prove more difficult to deal with than you anticipated as you pursue compensation for the many losses you may have had to deal with. A car insurance company may not offer compensation for pain and suffering alone.
On the other hand, a lawyer can offer several key advantages to your personal injury case that may help you maximize the compensation you can recover, including the compensation you may get for pain and suffering:
- A lawyer can help you document the suffering you may have faced due to your injuries and give you a better idea of how much compensation you should ask for.
- A lawyer can put together a compelling claim that clearly shows the losses you have faced and how your injuries have impacted you.
- A lawyer can help you negotiate and fight with the insurance company to recover as much compensation as possible for your injuries. Often, with personal injury lawyers involved, the insurance company will take injury victims much more seriously. They’ll ultimately offer more reasonable compensation for the losses of an injured person.
Contact a Columbus Personal Injury Attorney Today
Did you suffer injuries in a car accident?
Contact an experienced car accident lawyer at The Jones Firm to learn more about your rights, including how to best calculate the compensation you might deserve for pain and suffering.