Each year, far too many people are seriously injured in crashes that take place on Louisiana’s roadways. The victims struggle to recover from their injuries and find some semblance of a normal life.
For many people, part of that recovery could mean dealing with the financial stresses of medical bills, lost wages and other damages. You might be considering filing a personal injury claim against the person, or persons, you believe are responsible for your injuries, and you might be wondering what damages you can seek.
What types of damages might I be entitled to?
It might not surprise you that the damages for a personal injury case depend on your injuries. Other than the medical costs you have already incurred and the income you have lost during your recovery, the following are some of the other compensation you may request from the court:
- Loss of earning capacity: If your injuries will prevent you from being able to go back to work at all, or require you to make a career change because you can no longer perform the duties of your prior profession, you may ask for damages associated with the potential loss of income in the future.
- Future medical costs: Serious and debilitating injuries often come with the need for substantial medical care that can last for years, or even the rest of your life. These injuries usually require a significant amount of money to cover the associated costs, so you may receive damages.
- Mental anguish: The psychological and emotional effects of an accident are unpredictable and different for each victim, but you might be able to receive compensation for your suffering.
- Loss of enjoyment of life and pain and suffering: If you are unable to participate in activities that you enjoyed prior to the accident, are unable to perform day-to-day activities and are suffering from acute or chronic physical pain because of the accident, you might be able to recover these damages.
These are just some of the damages that you might be able to recover in a personal injury claim. Your attorney should be able to tell you whether you are entitled to any other damages.
Furthermore, you are not the only one who can seek damages for you injuries. In certain cases, your family members might also be able to make a claim. For example, your spouse may seek damages for loss of consortium if your injuries altered your marital relationship.
So how do I get these or other damages?
Your attorney will more than likely bring in appropriate professionals to quantify the monetary losses you have incurred, and will incur, in the future.
It might seem callous to attempt to put a dollar number on your pain, but it is necessary in order to get you the financial compensation you deserve, and need, moving forward. If the evidence presented to the court establishes that your injuries were due to the negligence of one or more parties, the court will then consider awarding you the damages you seek.
