You could recover several types of damages after a serious auto accident. Under the law, accident victims can seek compensation for their losses from the parties responsible for the accident. This often means battling an insurance company that wants to pay out as little money as possible to protect its bottom line. Fortunately, you have the option to find a knowledgeable car accident lawyer in your area who can help you recover fair compensation.
The Devastating Cost of Serious Auto Accidents
Serious auto accidents have a high cost for the victims. If you or a relative has been in an accident recently, you may have suffered:
· Financial losses from missing work or paying medical bills
· Physical or mental injuries from the accident
· Property damage or loss (your car and anything valuable in it)
You may have even suffered the loss of a loved one who died in a car accident. Nothing can replace your family member. And if you were seriously injured, your health may be at risk, too. Not to mention the financial toll the accident may have taken on your family.
All of these losses are extremely devastating, but the law is on accident victims’ side. If someone else caused your accident, you have the right to seek compensation for damages you suffered as a result. The law permits you to request those damages in court. Many victims prefer to negotiate out-of-court settlements first. Your accident lawyer can help you come up with a settlement demand that reflects your damages from the accident. If negotiation is unsuccessful, your accident lawyer can file a lawsuit on your behalf. By pursuing the lawsuit in court, you will seek to recover from the responsible parties the damages you suffered in the accident.
What Kind of Damages Can You Recover in a Settlement or Lawsuit?
Under the law, auto accident victims may be able to recover damages for:
· Current and future medical expenses
· Property losses
· Current and future loss of income
· Emotional distress
· Other losses
Current and future medical expenses could include everything from emergency room bills to specialist consultations to medication costs. If you need to stay in a rehabilitation facility or go to physical therapy, the cost may be part of your damages. Moreover, if you need special medical equipment due to the accident, its cost may be part of your damages.
In the accident, your car may have been severely damaged or totaled. Moreover, you may have missed work during your recovery and thus lost income. The cost for fixing your car and the lost income may be part of your damages. If you are disabled due to the accident and cannot work, or if you have to change jobs or work less in the future, that lost income may be part of your damages. Finally, car accidents can leave victims with emotional distress or psychological conditions. If your accident has harmed you mentally, the cost of that harm may be part of your damages.
Getting Ready to Request Damages
It’s important to note that you need to show that your losses stem from the auto accident. For example, you can’t recover money to pay medical bills for a condition you had before the accident – unless you can show that the accident made the condition worse. In that case, talk to your auto accident lawyer about how to document your worsening condition for settlement negotiations or court.
Moreover, you’ll need to show that the other person or people in your accident 1) are in fact the people responsible for the accident and 2) caused the damages that you suffered. Your accident lawyer can assist you in understanding what the law requires and how you will show it (whether for purposes of making a settlement demand or in court). Ask your lawyer how best to document your damages, including lost money or property, medical bills you receive, and more intangible losses. For example, it’s a good idea to keep copies of all medical paperwork, such as bills, reports, and invoices. You also may need to document lost income with copies of paystubs.
Seeking the legal advice you need to evaluate all of your damages is a vital step in your case. If you have just been in an accident, now is a great time to find experienced car accident attorneys who can help.
Need Legal Help After a Car Accident? Call the Kang Law Group
Do you have questions about how to recover damages after you or a loved one had a car accident? The Kang Law Group’s knowledgeable team of auto accident injury lawyers can help you figure out what’s next. Don’t go it alone against a big insurance company when you could have an attorney on your side. We offer free and confidential consultations to accident victims in need in the Beaverton, Oregon area. Contact us at (503) 646-3131 or message us online to learn more.
