Victims suffer in myriad ways following a serious automobile accident. Injuries can derail plans for your life and career, and emotional and mental suffering can be just as debilitating. These are compounded with more tangible losses of property and intangibles like relationships.
While money cannot fix or replace anything beyond the loss of possessions, it can help you and your family get through the difficult aftermath of a crash by relieving the burden of medical bills, repair invoices, and more. The following is an overview of the kinds of claims your attorney may seek on your behalf.
Tangible Losses
The following is a list of common claims for tangible losses, also known as economic damages. Please note that every case is individual, so the claims your attorney makes may differ. That said, the most common claims for tangible losses include the following:
- Emergency room treatment
- X-rays, MRIs, and other tests run to evaluate your injuries
- Hospital stay
- Surgery
- Follow-up medical appointments
- Physical therapy
- Assistive devices (e.g., walkers)
- Medically necessary home augmentations (e.g., ramps)
- Medications
- Lost wages
Additionally, your property loss claims, which will likely include:
- Repair/replacement of your damaged vehicle
- Replacement of other property lost in the crash
Compensation for intangible Auto Accident Losses
Tangible losses are comparatively simple to evaluate since there are bills and invoices to spell out their exact cost. More challenging are the intangibles, which is why you need a highly experienced auto accident lawyer to evaluate these claims and calculate a fair amount of monetary compensation. The following are common intangible, or non-economic, damage claims your attorney may seek:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of companionship/emotional support
- Mental and/or emotional illness and distress (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder, depression)
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Under specific circumstances, your attorney might also pursue punitive damages. As the name suggests, these are meant to punish the responsible party beyond compensation for your actual losses. Punitive damage claims only apply when it can be proven that the person or entity responsible for your losses acted with extreme recklessness.
Contact the Right Automobile Accident Attorney
How do you know whether your lawyer is claiming everything you might be entitled to following a crash? By making sure to choose an attorney with significant knowledge of this area of law and years of experience winning significant cases on behalf of injured clients. In the Los Angeles area, that lawyer is Scott Corwin of Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation. Find out what claims he can make on your behalf today.
Contact our office today by calling (310) 683-2300 or filling out the online contact form to discuss the details of your case and learn more about how we can help you. We offer free consultations, so there’s no reason not to reach out to someone from our team right away.
