If you get hurt in any sort of accident, you’re going to wonder – can I sue the person who caused my injuries? It’s only natural to think like this. If somebody is responsible for an accident, they should be held accountable. This is why our Lawrenceville personal injury lawyers exist. Our job is to get our clients compensation for their injuries. This may sound simple. However, every case is different. This means that the damages in every case are different as well. Sure, most personal injury cases involve the same kinds of damages. For example, if you were hurt in an accident, be it a slip and fall or a car crash, you probably experienced thousands of dollars in medical bills. The same is true if you missed days or weeks from work as a result of your accident. Someone should have to pay. It doesn’t seem fair that you should be left holding the bag in these situations.
Here, we’ll discuss the various types of damages we demand on behalf of our personal injury clients. We will also briefly explain how you can prove your damages. If you still have questions about your own personal injury case, contact our office. We can schedule your free, initial consultation over the phone. Or, if you prefer, you can set up a date and time to come in through our website.
Your Lawrenceville Personal Injury Lawyer Will Demand Compensation for Your Medical Bills
If you suffered any physical injuries in your accident, then you will likely be entitled to damages to cover your medical bills. Initially, your private health insurance company probably covered your medical care. However, once they see that you are suing the defendant, they’ll expect to be reimbursed in full. When you settle your case, the first person you’ll have to pay is your Lawrenceville personal injury lawyer. After that, you’ll need to reimburse your insurance company (and any medical providers) for outstanding medical bills.
You can also demand compensation for any future medical care you’ll need. Your doctor will let you know if you’ll need future medical care. They can sign an affidavit to this effect. Your Georgia personal injury lawyer will then find out what the costs for this treatment will be. They will include this amount in your demand for damages.
You May Also Be Entitled to Damages for Lost Wages and Lost Future Income
If your injuries were serious, you likely missed a couple of weeks from work. If this is the case, you can demand compensation for any lost wages. For example, if you hurt your back in a slip and fall, you may be out of work for two or three weeks. Your attorney can submit a copy of your payroll records to show how much time you missed. The defendant will then be responsible for paying any monies you lost as a result of the accident.
In addition to damages for lost wages, you can also demand damages for lost future income. If you are no longer able to do the same kind of work you did prior to the accident, you can include these damages in your complaint. Your Lawrenceville personal injury lawyer will demand the difference between what you would’ve earned in your previous job and what you’ll now earn on disability. Whatever that difference is, your attorney will multiply it by the number of years before you retire. For purposes of personal injury, the presumed retirement age is 65.
Most Plaintiffs Demand Some Amount in Pain and Suffering
In almost all personal injury cases, we demand damages for pain and suffering. These damages are meant to compensate accident victims for any physical or mental anguish they’ve suffered. This covers things like emotional distress, physical pain, anxiety, and loss of social enjoyment. These damages can be difficult to quantify. There is no dollar amount you can place on these things. That’s why our Georgia personal injury lawyers use a rule of thumb shared by other attorneys. We take your total medical bills and multiply them by three. Whatever this amount is, we demand in pain and suffering.
In order to prove pain and suffering, your attorney will have to submit specific evidence. Some of the ways in which our attorney justify pain and suffering on your behalf include the following:
- Testimony of your friends and family about how much your life has changed since the accident
- Medical records showing any painful surgeries or procedures you had to undergo
- Your family’s testimony regarding your loss of enjoyment since the accident
All of these things, among others, will be taken into consideration when calculating and proving pain and suffering.
It’s Best to Let Your Lawrenceville Personal Injury Lawyer Handle the Legal Side of Things
Regardless of the type of accident you’re involved in, there’s a good chance you suffered a physical injury. Now is not the time for you to be fighting with insurance adjustors. You should be focused on recovering from your injuries. While you do this, your Lawrenceville personal injury lawyer can deal with the legal side of things. We will reach out to the insurance company and find out why your claim wasn’t paid. We can also talk to the defendant’s attorney and find out what their position is. If the defendant is not willing to settle the matter voluntarily, we will file suit on your behalf.
When we file suit, we will have to list your damages. These will be specific to your case. Just because another plaintiff was entitled to pain and suffering, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll receive pain and suffering. What we’ll do during your free, initial consultation is review your case and determine what it may be worth. If we feel your claim has merit, we will offer to represent you. If, however, we don’t feel there is sufficient evidence to support a claim for damages, we’ll let you know that as well. We see no reason to unfairly get somebody’s hopes up.
Since your initial consultation is free, you have nothing to lose. The defendant will have a team of lawyers in their corner and so should you.
