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Car Accident Damages You Can Claim

Most people assume they will automatically receive a payout from the insurance company after a car accident. Many are shocked to see how even reputable insurers work to avoid paying claims. 

It’s in your best interest to remember that if you’ve suffered injuries, you’re entitled to get your damages covered. In some cases, even pain and suffering or emotional trauma could also lead to compensation for damages. 

At Gibbs & Crivelli, Slingshot Law, our attorneys fight for car accident victims just like you. Let’s examine damages you can claim after a car accident so you know what type of compensation is available if something bad happens on the road.

Medical Bills

Medical bills are defined as the direct costs of medical treatment following your accident. These include doctor visits, ambulance rides, hospital stays, prescription drugs, and other medical treatments. These medical expenses can be staggering if you need a lot of treatment because they often cost thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.

Depending on the situation, your health insurance provider may help you pay for medical bills related to your injury, but that’s not always the case. If not, you might have to pay these expenses yourself unless you pursue rightful compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

Lost Income and Earning Capacity

Lost wages and lost earning capacity are two different things, but both are included as lost income that is compensable after a car accident.

Lost wages are the wages that you would have earned if you hadn’t been injured in an accident. To qualify for short-term lost income, you must have been employed at the time of the accident, and you’ll need to prove that your injuries resulted in an inability to work for a specified period of time

Lost earning capacity, however, means that because of the accident, your ability to earn money has been reduced or eliminated completely. For example, if you’re disabled in an accident and can no longer work as a nurse or construction worker, you’ll likely be able to collect lost earning capacity based on what you used to earn before your disability set in.

In addition, if your car was totaled in the accident, you may also be able to claim lost wages and loss of earning capacity if you’re unable to travel to and from work. 

Pain and Suffering 

Non-economic damages, or the emotional and mental toll your injuries may take on your life, are just as important as your financial recovery. But these damages are more difficult to calculate because they don’t have a set value like car repairs or medical bills do. 

You may instead need to turn to your lawyer for guidance. Your attorney can help you calculate the value of your claim based on the severity and impact of your suffering, which can be complex and difficult without the right tools on your side. 

Emotional Trauma

Emotional trauma is defined as the psychological impact of a car accident. In most cases, it will be diagnosed after you’ve suffered from long-lasting symptoms of distress. Your emotional trauma can include:

  • Any damage to your relationships with family and friends
  • Physical symptoms you suffered such as headaches
  • The damage at work or career prospects because of, for instance, difficulty concentrating

Emotional trauma is one of the most difficult damages to prove in any car accident case. Because of this, it’s important to document your distress and get doctor’s notes from any visits with mental health professionals like psychologists or counselors who can testify that emotional trauma did occur.

Know Your Car Accident Damages with a Lawyer’s Help

The best way to know for sure if you are entitled to compensation is to get in touch with an experienced car accident attorney. We can help you understand your rights and see what legal options are available so that you can move forward with your life.

To receive compensation for your injuries, we must prove that the other party was at fault for the accident and that his or her actions directly caused your injuries. 

For example, if someone rear-ended your car while driving under the influence of alcohol, then they would be considered negligent because their impairment was directly related to causing your accident.

With Gibbs & Crivelli, Slingshot Law on your side, you’ll be well-advised about what car accident damages you can claim and be given the best chance at collecting all of them. Give us a call at 800-488-7840 or fill out our online form for your free case evaluation.

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