If you are seriously injured in a car accident, you probably need medical treatment to recover. During the time of your treatment, you will almost certainly have to take time off from work to avoid exacerbating your injuries any further.
All this, and more, can place a significant financial burden on you. If the accident was somebody else’s fault, you may be able to collect compensation to ease that burden. Generally speaking, you may be compensated for any expenses related to the accident, but here are some common examples.
- Lost Income
If an inability to work following your car accident caused you to earn less than you would have otherwise, you may be able to collect compensation for lost income. You should note that lost income doesn’t only pertain to the time that you had to take off from work to recover from your injury. It may be that you are unable to return to your old job due to your injuries. You may not even be able to work at all. You may also be able to collect compensation for income that you would have earned in the future if not for the accident.
- Medical Expenses
Medical services can be extremely expensive. Fortunately, you may be able to collect compensation for any expenses you incur throughout your treatment for injuries from the accident:
- Doctors visits
- Radiology studies (e.g., X-rays, MRI)
- Surgery
- Physical therapy
- Medication
It may even be possible to claim compensation for expenses not directly related to your medical treatment but occurring because of it. For example, if you had to hire transportation to go to doctor’s appointments or make modifications to your home so that it would be more accessible, those expenses might be compensable.
- Pain and Suffering
Even following medical treatment, you may be in persistent pain from injuries sustained in a car accident. This can interfere significantly with your life. Compensation for pain and suffering is partly intended to make up for the quality of life that you have lost because of the accident. It may also cover the mental effects of the trauma you experienced during the accident.
- Punitive Damages
If the driver who caused the accident behaved in a way that was unreasonably reckless or negligent, the court may order him or her to pay you punitive damages. These are not actually compensating you for anything you lost. They are intended to punish the other driver for inappropriate behavior and a disregard for human life.
The specifics of your case determine the compensation you are entitled to receive. Contact our office to schedule a consultation with an attorney.
Speaking with a car accident lawyer in Phoenix, AZ from a law firm like Kamper & Estrada, PLLC could help you better understand what might be your legal options after a car accident.