What Kind of Damages Can I Recover After an Auto Accident?
After a car accident, it is natural to have many questions running through your mind. “How will I pay my medical expenses?” “How can I pay my mortgage if I am unable to work?” “What if I never recover completely?” Fortunately, a San Luis Obispo auto accident lawyer can help you find the answers to those questions.
When you suffer an injury in a car accident, the “at fault” driver’s insurance company is often responsible for paying damages. While this may seem cut and dry, in reality, collecting damages is not easy. Insurance companies excel at reducing their own payouts. They know how to pressure the injured into accepting a lowball settlement. As such, never sign anything without first speaking to an experienced San Luis Obispo auto accident lawyer.
Recovering Car Accident Damages
The main goal of compensation is to help individuals injured in an accident become whole again. This includes being whole physically as well as emotionally. There are many types of damages you can claim in a personal injury lawsuit.
Some of the car accident damages you may seek, include:
- Medical Expenses. As a car accident victim, you can seek compensation to help you cover the cost of medical expenses both now and in the future. Medical expenses after a car accident can include:
- Rehabilitation
- Ambulance fees
- Doctor’s visits
- Surgeries
- Hospitalizations
- Disfigurement
- Medical devices and accessories such as wheelchairs and crutches
- In-home services
- Long-term care
- Pain and Suffering. Pain and suffering are subjective. Yet, the injured can collect compensation for this suffering. It is the mental or physical distress they endured after the car accident. This includes:
- PTSD
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Nightmares
- Acute or chronic pain
- Loss of enjoyment in life
- Lost Wages. After a car accident, injuries may cause you to miss time at work. For many families, a reduction in income is devastating and can throw them into financial turmoil. If your injuries are severe, you may not be able to work in your chosen profession again. In a personal injury lawsuit, you may seek compensation for any of your lost wages, as well as the loss of future earnings. You must prove that your injuries impaired your ability to work or diminished your ability to earn money in the future.
- Loss of Companionship. Some injuries may deprive you or your loved one of companionship. Unlike other types of damages, the spouse of the injured must claim these damages.
- Property Losses. After a car accident, you may also recover damages for your property losses. In many cases, cars need extensive and expensive repairs. Some accident victims need money to purchase a new car altogether.
Insurance companies know that individuals injured in an accident need money now to pay these expenses. They use this as leverage to get the injured to sign an easy and quick settlement. These settlements are typically just a fraction of what you need to recover. Before signing anything, call us at James McKiernan Lawyers. We can fight aggressively for you and your right to full compensation.
Contact Our San Luis Obispo Car Accident Lawyers
If you or someone you love suffered an injury in a car accident, we can help. At James McKiernan Lawyers, our San Luis Obispo car accident lawyers know that the injured need money now. Financial strains after a car accident can crush families. Medical bills can add unnecessary pressure to individuals who are still recovering from unimaginable injuries.
At James McKiernan Lawyers, we offer a free initial consultation to anyone injured in an accident. We listen carefully to your concerns and help you choose the legal path that is best for you. Call us at 800-200-HURT or fill out our confidential contact form for more information. We are here to help you through this difficult time. Call today!
