3 Types of Damages Included in Injury Claims
There are many reasons why individuals might be searching for a car accident lawyer Vienna VA residents trust. Severe injuries after a car accident can often be compensated through financial settlements, and this is just one way that an experienced Vienna VA car accident lawyer can be helpful.
While no one can call themselves the “best” car accident lawyer Vienna VA has to offer, the lawyers at Cohen & Cohen have years of experience defending injured car accident victims. At our firm, we understand that car accident cases can be very stressful. The aftermath of a crash — and dealing with the injuries that have resulted from the crash — can seem equally as stressful. Our legal team may be able to help.
When another driver causes an auto accident, and when this accident leads to injuries for occupants in other vehicles, the effects can be traumatic. Even a minor fender bender can cause whiplash or emotional distress; major accidents can potentially lead to life-threatening injuries.
There are a few different types of damages that an injured individual may be able to claim through an injury settlement.
Medical Expenses
Needing money to cover the costs of medical bills after an accident is one reason for contacting an experienced car accident lawyer Vienna VA can provide. Serious injuries often require immediate medical treatment in a hospital or emergency care clinic. Without a comprehensive health insurance plan, the costs incurred by treatment in these facilities can be very high. Immediate medical treatment costs that may be covered in an injury claim could include:
- Ambulance fees
- Treatment at a hospital or health clinic
- Lab tests
- X-ray and radiology tests
- Medical equipment or accessories
Severe injuries may also require ongoing treatment. This treatment could pertain to physical injuries but it might also pertain to psychological trauma. Ongoing physical therapy sessions, for example, might be necessary for healing broken bones; cognitive therapy sessions might also be necessary for stabilizing the person’s mental health. Types of medical costs that might be ongoing could include:
- Consultations with medical specialists
- Therapy sessions
- In-home medical care (if necessary)
- Long-term care for a disability
It is possible that an injured person will have received all necessary medical care at the time when the claim is filed. However, that individual may continue to incur medical expenses for the treatment of his or her injuries. When filing an injury claim, both past and future medical expenses can be claimed. Future expenses will likely be estimated based on a number of factors. It may be necessary to consult with a medical professional regarding long-term care in order to make the cost estimate as realistic and accurate as possible.
Lost Wages
As an experienced car accident lawyer Vienna VA can provide will likely know, even minor car accident injuries can require time off from work. Severe injuries may require weeks — or even months — for recovery. This unplanned time off from work could potentially be disastrous, especially for an individual who is living paycheck-to-paycheck. Missing just a few days of work could completely destroy a person’s financial stability.
Lost wages can become even more of a problem when an individual sustains a severe disability that could affect his or her ability to perform necessary job duties — either for an extended length of time, or even permanently. In this case it might not be possible for the individual to return to the same job. If he or she is only able to work part-time or is able to work at another job that pays less than the previous position, this could still be considered lost income. An injured claimant might also receive compensation if he or she is completely unable to work due to a severe and permanent disability.
Pain and Suffering
Even though it might be difficult to translate a person’s pain and suffering into a dollar amount, it is still possible for an injured claimant to collect financial damages for these reasons. In fact, “pain and suffering” is the legal term used when seeking compensatory damages for physical and psychological distress inflicted by an accident or injury. It is very possible for an injured car accident victim to walk away from the incident with a great deal of emotional distress.
It may also be possible to claim compensation if a relationship suffers because of an accident injury. If a person is fatally injured in a crash, his or her spouse might wish to file a wrongful death claim. Loss of companionship, in this case, pertains to the partner most affected by the victim’s death.
Even when an injury isn’t fatal, the injured person might suffer from a loss of affection and intimacy with his or her partner. The individual will have to prove that this loss is a direct result of the accident injury. Doing this might require the assistance of a skilled car accident lawyer in Vienna VA; again, it is often not easy for injured parties to put a price tag on something as immaterial as a relationship.
Contact a Local Car Accident Lawyer Vienna VA Can Depend On — Today
As an experienced car accident lawyer Vienna VA can provide might say, it’s important to remember that each case is unique and there are many factors in every person’s injury claim that could affect the outcome of that claim. It’s possible for an insurance company to accept certain parts of an individual’s claim, but disagree with other sections. When an insurance company refuses to provide an injured claimant with a fair settlement, or when an insurer argues that the claimant may have been responsible for the accident, it could be beneficial to seek legal counsel from a car accident lawyer Vienna VA residents trust.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, the legal team at Cohen & Cohen might be able to help. We’ve provided legal counsel for many injured clients, helping them fight for and win financial compensation for their injuries.
To find out more information, or to discuss your case with a top car accident lawyer Vienna VA has to offer, contact Cohen & Cohen today.
