A car accident makes a person’s whole life turn upside down as the individual can incur economic, non-economic and punitive damages that they might have to endure throughout their lifetime. Let’s dig into the damages and provide you with insightful information.
A car accident’s damages are broken down into three categories: economic, non-economic, and punitive:
Economic Damages
What do we mean when we say economic damages? When you are the victim in a car accident, then you may suffer financially. This can be short-term or long-term as well.
The economic damages
- Medical costs
- Loss of income
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Funeral costs
- Replacement or repair of damaged property
- Expenses to manage a disability
Medical Costs
The first economic damage on the car accident list is the medical costs in the form of shocking medical bills. If you have sustained serious injuries during the accident, then you have the right to seek compensation for the following:
Hospitalization Costs
The injured person will be immediately rushed to the hospital and get checked by the doctors to confirm whether you have to be admitted to the hospital or not.
Surgery Cost
In case of severe injuries, the doctors might recommend you to schedule an appointment for surgery because delaying the operation can lead to lethal consequences.
Ambulance Rides
You would be in no position to drive yourself and reach the medical institution; therefore will be sent via an ambulance.
Doctor’s Visits
Once the injury is operated on, you would have to make multiple visits to the doctor for follow-up routines and can be asked to increase the dose of medicines or, if required, be prepared for another surgery.
Prescriptions and Over-The-Counter Medicines
The doctor will prescribe medicines looking at how terrible the injuries are, and apart from that, you might have to purchase over-the-counter medicines for quick relief.
At Home Care
Even if your hospital visits end, doctors might suggest you get someone to take care of you at home as well. Any attendant to help you with applying medicine or changing your bandages won’t be possible for your family members.
Medical Device
Yes, you might be given a medical device to use if your health deteriorates, or it has to be there with you at all times to avoid any risk.
Loss of Income
If you were on the way to work and the accident happened, you would unfortunately endure loss of income. This means that your injuries may come in between your employment. From that tragedy onwards, you physically won’t be able to carry out your official duties, and the workplace might have to select an alternative. Or if your injuries are minor, you would have to apply for a sick leave, leading to your loss of income. You have the right to prepare a document and include bonuses, lost salary, and sick leave to claim compensation for the accident that put your corporate performance in danger.
Rehabilitation Expenses
In a rehabilitation facility, patients can get long-term treatments for walking, speaking, and any work-specific training after the collision. Yes, the therapies may last for months after the incident or end in a week’s time. It all depends on the severity of your injuries.
Funeral Costs
A car accident can turn out to be more painful for you if you lose your beloved companion. It can be your sibling, spouse, parent or friend, whose early loss of life you never imagined and that too in front of your eyes. Funeral costs fall under wrongful death, and you have the right to be compensated for the burial, loss of guidance, financial stability, or other funeral expenses.
Replacement and Repairing Of Damaged Property
The property in this situation will be your car. Your car is the primary asset that assists you in reaching your workplace and other various locations. If that is damaged enough that your insurance companies ask you to get it repaired or permanently replaced, then you can claim money to cover the bills. If your vehicle is undergoing repair and you are forced to use public transport to reach your office on time, the other party must also pay you for the inconvenience caused.
Expenses To Manage A Disability
Did the accident make you disabled? Fractured your arm? Broke your leg? Harmed your spinal cord? If anything of that sort happens, then that will hinder your everyday and corporate life as well. Experienced Pittsburgh car accident attorneys know how serious accidents can cause both long term and short term disabilities and work to help injured victims claim compensation to manage their disability.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are the ones that can not be calculated in terms of money. These include as the following:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional suffering
- Loss of companionship
- Lack of desire to enjoy life
- Loss of reputation
Physical Pain and Suffering
A serious car collision can put you in physical pain and suffering. It was not even your mistake, but for instance, if your shoulder got dislocated, the bones of your wrist broke, your arm got a hair-line fracture, and your leg is hurting too, then indeed you are suffering a lot and can claim to compensate for the pain.
Emotional Suffering
You know you are a safe driver, but others on the same road are not. The car accident will give you emotional trauma such as anxiety, panic, frustration, PTSD, and depression. You might be scared of driving again or experience sleepless nights as the flashbacks of the previous incident may haunt your mind.
Loss of Companionship
Loss of companionship is one of the worst non-economic damages one can imagine. If you lost your spouse or got injured in the accident, then you lost or will be under the possibility of losing your companion in life.
Lack of Desire to Enjoy Life
A car accident can place you in a position where you lack the desire to enjoy life. You might get scared of driving and watching other cars. You might not be able to enjoy the things in life that you did before.
Punitive Damages
Another option after a car accident is to seek compensation for punitive damages, also called exemplary damages, where the defendant’s careless, drunk, and distracted behavior compromised your life. The penalty is given so the defendant and similar drivers avoid violating the rules.
Conclusion
The types of car accidents are present in economic, non-economical and punitive damages, and the victim looks forward to the compensation depending on the severity of the injuries.
Interesting Related Article: “Business Risks and Legalities in Car Accidents”
Types Of Damages After A Car Accident first appeared on Web and IT News.