Experiencing a car accident in Tacoma, or anywhere for that matter, can be a tough and life-changing situation. In fact, such an incident will typically lead to physical pain, emotional stress, and even a financial hit, especially in the long haul.
If you’re in such a scenario, then you ought to ensure that you get fair compensation that will adequately cover the true cost of the injury or damage over time.
In this regard, this detailed guide will help you learn about the types of compensation you might be able to receive after a car accident.
The Role of a Car Accident Attorney
For starters, when it comes to getting the compensation you’re owed, dealing with intricate legal procedures and discussions with insurance firms can be tough. One of the main steps to getting the compensation you deserve is establishing the liability of the negligent party.
According to a top car accident attorney in Tacoma, four key factors must be proven to establish negligence. These include duty of care, breach of duty, causation, and damages.
When you work with an experienced lawyer, they will carefully gather and evaluate the right evidence to prove these elements. This includes police reports, medical records, and witness statements. They will demonstrate how the negligent party failed to uphold their duty of care and how that directly caused your damages.
In addition to proving liability, a skilled attorney ensures that the compensation amount reflects the full extent of your losses. They calculate this using their expertise, considering medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. Legal representation makes you far more likely to secure a fair settlement, especially when facing contested claims or uncooperative insurance companies.
Types of Recoverable Damages
Medical Expenses
One of the foremost considerations in post-car accidents is the burden of medical costs. These may encompass several expenses, from emergency room bills to surgery fees, hospitalization charges, medication purchases, rehabilitative services, and potentially long-term treatment expenses. To guarantee comprehensive compensation, it’s important to meticulously document all healthcare-related costs incurred.
Pain and Suffering
Apart from the clear-cut financial repercussions, car crashes can lead to significant pain and emotional distress. These less quantifiable, non-economic damages refer to the bodily discomfort, mental distress, and negative impact on lifestyle that may result from the incident. Determining compensation for such intangible losses is intricate and frequently necessitates the know-how of an adept legal professional.
Property Damage
Damage to your car and any personal possessions can be compensated after a traffic incident. This encompasses the expense of fixing or buying a new vehicle, along with any other goods that were harmed during the crash, such as electronic devices or personal effects.
Lost Wages
Car accidents can also lead to substantial periods away from work due to the occurrence of injuries. In such cases, you might qualify for recompense for the earnings they have forfeited. Well, lost wages not only entail wages that have already been missed but also extend to any potential future income that may be lost if the injuries sustained have a long-term impact on their work capabilities.
This can include:
- Hourly Wages: If you’re an hourly worker, you can calculate the number of hours you would have worked during the period you were unable to work and multiply that by your hourly rate.
- Salaried Employees: If you’re a salaried employee, your lost wages would be calculated based on your average weekly or monthly salary, depending on the duration of your inability to work.
- Overtime or Bonuses: If you typically earn overtime or bonuses, include these as well if they were impacted by the injury.
Loss of Consortium
When a significant car accident leads to serious harm or the death of an individual, the law allows the affected spouse or relatives to seek compensation for loss of consortium. This concept refers to the intangible losses they face, such as the absence of the injured person’s companionship, love, and support.
For instance, a spouse might miss out on the physical and emotional intimacy they once shared, while children could feel the absence of a parent’s guidance and care.
Punitive Damages
In some situations, a court might grant punitive damages to penalize a party who acted with extreme carelessness or negligence. The goal here is to prevent such behavior from happening again in the future. These damages are an additional amount given on top of the standard compensatory damages.
Wrapping up
In a nutshell, you need to protect your rights and seek fair compensation in the aftermath of a car accident. That said, recovering damages from a car crash can be quite complex from a legal, financial, and emotional perspective. It’s thus important to get a good car accident lawyer who can help ensure fair payment for your losses. This way, you can avoid juggling recovery while trying to handle the intricacies of insurance claims and legal proceedings.
