People often use personal vehicles to drive to work, take trips, run errands and generally get to where they need to go. Most people don’t think that they’ll end up being victims of a car crash. Unfortunately, many situations can lead to serious wrecks.
If a victim of a car crash suffers financial damages as a result of a wreck that was caused by a driver’s negligence, under the law, they may seek compensation against the at-fault party’s insurance company. Part of this process involves determining what types of damages and what settlement amount is reasonable. The following are types of damages victims in Georgia typically seek when a crash results in physical harm and losses.
Medical expenses
Medical care costs are usually the highest expenses that the injured person will incur. These medical costs may include bills for doctor visits, hospital care, physical therapy, medication, and various other treatments. Under the law, medical expenses should include current and future medical care costs if the victim will need care in the future.
Lost wages
Some accident victims are unable to return to work right after the crash, and others may need to stop working completely. Seeking compensation for lost wages is allowed under most state laws, including Georgia. This encompasses all the money the individual could have earned if they weren’t involved in the wreck. In some cases, determining past and future lost wages can be challenging, especially if the person works on a commission-based salary.
Pain and suffering
Damages for pain and suffering are the most substantial factor in the majority of cases we handle. Often emotional distress or trauma is experienced by our clients and those damages are recoverable, whether the injured party settles or goes to trial. We consider our client’s health to be the most important factor. It is very difficult to put a price on pain or the loss of health. We ask jurors to consider what has been taken from the injured person. the value of things like, loss of enjoyment of life, fear of the extent of injury, the inability to participate in activities such as spending time outside, walking, or countless other things that are so important in life.
Punitive damages
There are times when a negligent driver’s behavior is intentional or reckless. In these cases, the jury may find that punitive damages are appropriate to deter the bad conduct of the at-fault party or to punish them for intentionally hurting someone. Often DUI cases involve punitive damages.
Victims of car crashes have to determine the full amount of damages they should claim but they should do so with the help of an experienced trial lawyer. With so much at stake, seeking personalized legal guidance as soon as possible is wise.