After a serious accident, whether a car accident, slip-and-fall or an injury from a defective product, you have a lot to think about. In addition to seeking repairs for property damage and getting medical care, you may also have a stack of bills that are harder to pay when you’re injured and unable to work. You may have questions about what your case may be worth so you can decide whether to pursue a claim in court.
The first kind of damages in an injury claim is compensatory damages. These, not surprisingly, are meant to compensate you for any direct financial losses. In a vehicle accident lawsuit, compensatory damages may include the costs of repairs to your vehicle, as well as medical expenses and any lost wages.
In addition, you may also be able to pursue punitive damages, which play a different role in injury claims. We’ll talk about those next week and how they compensate injury victims for the liable party’s misconduct.
It should be noted that no matter how serious your injury or how solid your claim, financial damages are not guaranteed. The amount of compensation you get, if any, will likely be up to a judge or insurance agent. They will look at the evidence in your case and try to determine an outcome that is fair to all parties while appropriately compensating those who have been harmed.
For that reason and many others, it is important to work with someone who can understand your case thoroughly and present it convincingly in court or in settlement. Consider contacting an experienced personal injury attorney. He or she can represent your interests and help you pursue the compensation to which you are entitled.
Source: Injured, “How Much Is Your Personal Injury Case Worth?” Andrew Lu, Jan. 16, 2013
