How Your Pain And Suffering Damages Are Figured Out
You might think it an impossibility to put a dollar figure on the pain and suffering you've endured as a result of an accident. Your injuries at the hands of the other driver deserve to be considered along with a lot of other forms of damage. The way pain and suffering are figured out can vary so read on to learn more about how your total compensation package is calculated – including pain and suffering.
Understanding Fault
None of the below calculations for damages will mean anything if you are the driver at fault for the accident. If you are not at fault but are being accused, you should speak to a personal injury lawyer about your case right away. The at-fault driver can be responsible for thousands of dollars in damages and this issue is worth fighting against.
Other Factors That Influence Compensation
It can be nearly impossible to accurately predict the amount of your settlement until after certain facts are established. When a figure can be known, your personal injury lawyer will discuss it with you and you both will come to an agreement as to how much you are willing to accept. While pain and suffering can be an incredibly valuable form of damage, other factors are also taken into account such as:
- The total dollar amount of your medical expenses plus a prediction of your future medical needs.
- How much time you missed from your job as well as the issue of any permanent career damage suffered.
- Personal characteristics like age, job, income, and other settlements with similar accidents in a given locale.
Accident Calculators
Personal injury lawyers and insurance companies use various methods to calculate accident settlements. One common way is to base pain and suffering on billed medical expenses. That number is multiplied by a factor that corresponds with how the accident impacted the victim. Things like the severity of the injury, how it affected other family members, and how long the victim remained unable to carry out the functions of their day-to-day life are considered. Then, everything else, such as vehicle repairs and more are added together. The daily rate, on the other hand, bases a certain daily payment on how many days the victim suffered from the accident injuries. Many attorneys are familiar enough with the major auto insurers to know exactly how the calculations will go.
To find out more about how your accident damages, along with pain and suffering are calculated, speak to a personal injury lawyer.
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