Personal Injury Lawyer Provides Tips on Compensation After an Accident
If you own a car, you’re bound to get into an accident sooner or later. And when this happens, you will most likely be caught totally off-guard—both emotionally and financially.
It’s a good thing, then, that the law allows you to get proper recompense for whatever damages you suffered from the car crash. Be warned, though—many victims make the mistake of asking for too little compensation. Before negotiating with the other driver’s insurer, take note of these considerations first:
Medical Treatment
As you may have heard, medical bills are one of the leading causes of bankruptcies in the country. Unfortunately, a car accident may inflict serious injuries upon you that require major medical care, including surgeries, therapy sessions, and continuous medications. What’s more, some medical issues only manifest after the accident. Hence, you have to make sure that the compensation you are asking for covers all your current medical care and potential future ones. If you need assistance in this regard, a trusted personal injury lawyer in Oklahoma can give you sound counsel on how much compensation you are entitled to.
Property Loss
Of course, it’s not just bodily harm that you have to account for; there’s also the cost of repairing your car. These days, even a relatively minor accident can run you a couple hundred dollars—not chump change, that’s for sure. So imagine how much more it would cost to repair a car involved in a head-on collision. As such, make sure that you compute for the fair market value of your car when settling your car accident case. Likewise, don’t forget to account for the repair or replacement of other personal property damaged in the car accident, such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc.
Pain and Suffering
There are few things in life as traumatizing as being involved in a car accident. Luckily, the country’s laws also allow you to seek proper compensation for any suffering that the mishap might have caused you. Generally, you can often claim compensation for both physical and mental suffering.
As the name suggests, physical suffering involves any discomfort you experience and the attendant problems. If you sustained broken bones, for instance, you can be in immense pain, leading you to lose sleep or your appetite.
Physical suffering also usually leads to emotional distress, as car accident victims also often undergo bouts of anger and depression. In fact, the symptoms can get so bad that it can even prevent the victim from working. The injuries can also prevent you from doing the things you greatly value such as training for a marathon or attending your son’s wedding—all factors that contribute to your emotional suffering.
Loss of Consortium
People often forget that it’s not only you who suffer from the accident—your family does, too. Indeed, the injuries you sustain in an accident often put a strain on your relationships as well. For example, it may force you to skip that anniversary vacation you’ve been looking forward to, or your injuries may prevent you from having a sexual relationship with your spouse. It may also affect the relationship you have with your kids, as you may be less able to provide for their needs. If you can prove in court that there is a loss of consortium, the damages will be awarded directly to your family members, not you.
The Quick and Easy
That being said, the erring driver’s insurance company usually tries to settle the case with you as soon as possible. This that means they’ll lowball your compensation to get the whole thing over and done with ASAP. Don’t be pressured by their tactics. If need be, get the help of a lawyer to make sure that you get the just compensation that you deserve.
For more information contact one of our highly qualified Attorneys in the Oklahoma City area call (405) 253-4478 or our main office in Ardmore (580) 798-0447.
Sources:
Damages: How Much is a Personal Injury Case Worth?, NOLO.com
What is ‘Pain and Suffering’ in a Personal Injury Case?, NOLO.com