What Damages Can You Claim in a Personal Injury Case?

If you’re going to win your legal case, it’s vital that you get in touch with a professional that can look out for you. There are several personal injury case examples that have played out over the years, but you stand a greater chance of winning yours when you understand all of the variables that you’re contending with. 

Most importantly — what damages are you able to seek in one of these cases? We’re glad to offer some insight. 

Put these tips together so you know more about the personal injury case you’re putting together. 

You Need to Account for Physical Personal Injuries

Anytime you’re dealing with a personal injury case, there will typically be some physical injuries that you’ll need to contend with. This is the most obviously noticeable issue that people deal with, and can rack up some of the most expensive bills. 

It starts with your initial injuries, which could involve muscle tears and strains, back pain, neck pain, broken bones, or other issues. These issues typically have multiple tiers of healing time and processes, which could include things like physical therapy and other forms of recovery. 

Keep up with all of your medical bills and make sure that you’re following your medical professionals’ advice each step of the way.  

Think About Emotional Trauma and Psychological Issues

Aside from physical damages, you need to contemplate any mental or emotional damages you have suffered. 

Many people have pain and suffering related damages following a personal injury because it comes with mental and psychological trauma. This is one of the most lasting and impactful forms of damage and one that is not necessarily apparent right away. 

For instance, you might get into a car accident and later find that you have developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms. In order to contend with these issues, it’s likely that you’re going to have to visit a psychologist and other professionals with regularity.  

Calculate and Consider Property Damage 

Different degrees of property damage also tend to come into play when you’re dealing with a personal injury case. With these cases, you might be dealing with a car that needs repairs or a replacement, a damaged motorcycle, or other property that you lost as a result of the incident. 

Make sure that you’re doing your due diligence when documenting the damage and calculating the value of the items. 

Consider the Income and Earning Potential You Lost

When you’re seriously injured, there’s a good chance that you might not be able to work for a while. When this happens, you’re missing out on the money that you need to be able to pay your bills and address the needs you have in the rest of your life. 

If this is a long-term loss of employment, or worse, permanent, you’ll have a large case on your hands that will also need to account for missed potential future income. Consider your earning potential and the trajectory you were headed, and factor in how your injuries nullified these earnings. 

You Might Recoup Money for Legal Fees

There are a number of legal fees that come into play when trying a personal injury case. In personal injury cases, contingency fee arrangements are commonplace. These fees are agreed upon upfront, and the attorney collects a percentage of your payout at the conclusion of the case. 

So if your damage payout if $100,000 and the contingency fee is 40%, your lawyer will collect $40,000 and you’ll receive $60,000. 

While contingency fees are commonplace, you might also have some flat fees or other fees that you’re charged throughout the course of the legal proceedings or negotiations. Always get any agreement with your attorney in writing so that you’re able to keep track of these fees and recoup any of them from the other party if necessary. 

Since you want to make sure that you’re hiring an affordable lawyer that is also great at what they do, ask about their personal injury cases won and the types of personal injury cases that they usually specialize in. 

Decide on Whether You are Recouping Money for Specialist Visits

Personal injury cases are so multifaceted, so there’s a possibility that you might be working with specialists to heal up months or even years later. This is particularly true if you happened to have suffered a spinal cord injury or a traumatic brain injury (TBI) of any kind. 

Understand what sort of long-term game plan you have in place to recover from your injuries, and make certain that you are getting the best and most sophisticated form of medical care around. 

Once your case damages are set in stone and you receive a payout, there’s no other money you can rely on to heal you properly. This is why it’s so important to hire the right law firm upfront that can assist you in seeing this bigger picture, and making certain that you are getting paid what you deserve to see the best specialists possible for as long as you need to. 

Figure Out the Details of Your Personal Injury Case

If you’re dealing with a personal injury case, the points above will serve you well. Understanding what sort of damages people deal with in these cases will be an important matter to address as you build your legal case. 

In the meantime, the Sweet Lawyers would be happy to learn more about your case to further discuss your personal injury needs. Take some time to contact us today for a free consultation.