If you have been injured in a car accident and are considering a personal injury lawsuit, one of your first questions may concern how much you can expect to recover. After all, your damages are probably extensive given that medical bills will be coming due, rehabilitation costs will be accumulated, and wages will be lost.
On top of that, you should be compensated for any pain and suffering you’ve experienced and any lost enjoyment of life that’s been dealt to you. But how do you put all of this into a monetary value that you’ll seek in your personal injury case?
Calculating your car accident damages
There are two types of damages that you’ll want to address in your personal injury case: economic and noneconomic damages. Economic damages are those that are financial in nature. Your medical expenses and lost wages are included here. While those losses that you’ve already accumulated are easy enough to tabulate, it can be more challenging to figure out your anticipated medical expenses and lost wages.
Expert testimony in conjunction with a timeline of your recovery can be helpful in calculating these future damages. So, make sure you keep all of your medical-related bills and gather your pay stubs so that you can come up with a realistic number for your economic damages.
Noneconomic damages are those losses that aren’t financial in nature. Pain and suffering, lost enjoyment of life, and disfigurement are included here. To acquire as much compensation as you can from this category, you need to tell a compelling story about how your accident has negatively impacted your daily living. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep a journal so that you can easily recall those moments that are most painful and powerfully portray your situation.
Aggressively pursue the compensation you deserve
In the aftermath of a car accident, you need compensation to support your recovery and to provide you with the financial stability you need until you can get back to work. But the defense isn’t just going to hand that money over. You’re going to have to advocate for it, which is why now is the time to act and start building your personal injury case.
