It’s not as plain as one simple figure that applies to a not-so-bad accident, while another dollar figure applies to a bad crash. Instead, insurance companies look at the sum of many small things and a few big things too. Then those add up slowly to create one solid number of damages you can recover. However, that’s still not the end of the fight.
You will need to thoroughly understand the possible damages involved so that you can argue aggressively for your need for that relief. This action, the aggressive pursuit of justified relief, is what attorneys do best. They go through, assess the damages, and when a settlement offer doesn’t cover the damages, the question is, “why is this not important enough to cover?”
If you’ve been injured in a crash and are having trouble getting fair compensation, contact a car wreck attorney in Birmingham for help.
INJURIES AND PHYSICAL DAMAGES YOU CAN RECOVER
Any injury, from a tiny scratch to TBI, is worth evaluating after a crash. All too many people will walk away from an accident sore and stiff and still not go to a doctor. It’s always worth it to get medical help because even something like whiplash, when left untreated, can become very serious.
Untreated injuries can’t be included on the part of your demand because you didn’t experience a financial loss and didn’t make any attempt to get care. Your injuries and physical damage must receive medical attention to get the proper support in terms of recovery.
Not it’s important to note also that every aspect of your medical treatment deserves a fair amount of attention during compensation talks. If you went to an urgent care center, that should be covered. If you were issued a prescription that you had to pay for out of pocket, that should be covered.
You should receive coverage for everything from that first ER or doctor’s visit through to your physical therapy sessions. It’s critical that you carefully document all of your financial losses associated with injuries from the crash.
PROPERTY DAMAGE
Your car and everything in it should receive coverage as well. Now, some things they’re going to question, and you’ll never get the full value on your car. the reason that you simply can’t get full value on your car is because of how fast vehicles depreciate in value. Even if the vehicle is only a month old, and “fresh” off the lot, you’ll be lucky to get 75% of its purchase value.
Property damage caps often are much lower than physical injury caps for insurance policies. That’s because insurance companies are quick to total vehicles and just issue you enough to go get a replacement car. However, you may need an attorney to argue the damage done when you have to carry a note, or how one crash can leave up upside-down in vehicle debt for years.
OTHER LOSSES
Other economic losses can include the missed opportunities at work, and how much pay you missed while you were out. If you couldn’t return to work for weeks, then your family could have experienced severe financial hardship. These economic losses can’t be forgotten when you file your claim.
Non-economic loses important too. These losses include the things that you can’t recover. For example, if you experienced severe trauma to your foot or leg and can’t walk, then that’s a lifechanging event. It means you can’t dance at your children’s weddings, can’t participate in a marathon, and more. Injuries like that come with substantial pain and suffering, but so do less-visible injuries such as PTSD.
Then finally, there are punitive damages that are rare and don’t directly associate to a loss. What punitive damage offers the victim is an apology in the form of financially punishing the drunk driver.
TALK TO A LOCAL CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY ABOUT THE TYPES OF DAMAGES YOU CAN RECOVER
It’s likely that you’ll have a smooth blend of both economic and non-economic damages. But you need to make sure that you demand compensation for all of those damages, and to do that, you need an attorney. A car accident attorney should go through every single financial stumble and emotional struggle you’ve had as a result of this crash. Then work with yourself and experts to assign a dollar value for your total damages you can recover.
Different types of damages apply differently in various situations. To ensure that you have an attorney that is familiar with damages across the board, you want someone with years of experience. At the Mike Bell Firm, you’ll have direct access to attorneys that understand the many different types of possible damages in any case. Reach out to us now and start a conversation about how your crash changed your life.
