What Kinds of Damages can My Auto Accident Compensation Cover?

 Posted on May 01, 2018 in Personal Injury

When you are involved in a car accident, you can be injured. Sometimes, car accident injuries are fairly minor, such as scratches and bruising. In other cases, they are severe, sometimes to the point of causing the victim to suffer a long-term or even permanent disability or disfigurement. When a victim is injured in a car accident because of another party's negligence, he or she may pursue compensation for related damages through a personal injury claim. Through this type of claim, the victim may pursue compensation for the following:

Medical Expenses

Medical bills for an injury sustained in a car accident can be steep. In some cases, a car accident victim needs extensive medical care after an accident and continuing care for months or even years afterward. In your personal injury claim, you can seek compensation for all of your medical expenses.

Lost Wages

Often, an injury requires the victim to take time off work to recover. When this happens and he or she misses the opportunity to earn wages, the victim may seek compensation for these lost wages in his or her personal injury claim.

Lost wages compensation does not just mean the wages a victim cannot earn while recovering. When an injury causes a victim to suffer a disability that limits his or her future capacity to work, he or she may recover compensation for the future wages, bonuses, and advancement opportunities lost due to the injury.

Pain and Suffering Damages

Pain and suffering damages can be the most difficult category to understand. These are the damages that cannot easily be quantified and because of this, it can be challenging for you and your personal injury lawyer to determine an appropriate claim figure to file.

Any damages you suffer because of your injury that do not fit into either of the categories above may be considered pain and suffering damages. These include:

• The cost of hiring domestic help to aid with household chores while you recover;
• The cost of over-the-counter pain medication, bandages, and other pharmacy supplies;
• The cost of hiring transportation for yourself while you are unable to drive because of your injury;
• Your reduced quality of life due to the injury, such as having to live with reduced mobility or chronic pain; and
• Your emotional and psychological trauma from the accident and the cost of counseling to work through it.

Work with an Experienced Libertyville Car Accident Lawyer

If you were injured in a car accident that was caused by another party's negligence, you have the right to pursue monetary compensation for your related damages through a personal injury claim. To learn more about pursuing compensation this way, contact our team of experienced auto accident lawyers at Newland & Newland, LLP today to set up your initial consultation in our office. We serve clients in the Arlington Heights, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Libertyville, Mundelein, Buffalo Grove, Schaumburg, Elk Grove, and Itasca areas.

(image courtesy of Denys Nevozhai)