If you have been injured in an accident, you can seek compensation from those responsible. An injury lawyer in Fort Myers, FL, explains.
Economic Damages
Medical Expenses
Accident victims are most commonly compensated for the medical expenses they have had due to the injury. This includes all immediate medical expenses, such as hospital bills, the cost of prescription medications or surgery, and rehabilitation expenses. This could also include estimated expenses for future care if you need long-term care, such as home health aids or ongoing physical therapy.
Lost Wages
If you have missed work because of the accident, either temporarily or permanently, you can claim compensation for lost wages. This could be due to time needed for hospitalization or recovery or even work missed because of necessary medical appointments. You may also be able to claim loss of future earning potential, especially if your injury means that you are disabled and cannot work like before.
Property Damage
If you have had a vehicle, personal belongings, or something else damaged in the accident, you can also claim compensation for the property damage. For example, if you were in a car accident, you should consider whether anything inside the vehicle was damaged, such as car seats or electronics. Compensation may be awarded to cover the cost of repairing or replacing what was damaged. If it cannot be repaired or replaced, then you may be able to claim compensation for the value of the item.
Non-Economic Damages
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering is the legal term to describe the emotional and physical distress from an accident and the injuries that resulted. This is considered a form of non-economic damages, since pain and suffering is subjective, i.e., it cannot be quantified. Courts award compensation for physical pain due to injuries, mental trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder, and the long-term impact on your quality of life.
Emotional Distress
Emotional distress refers to the psychological impact of the accident. It may appear as anxiety, fear, or depression. If the accident was especially traumatic, then you may be able to claim damages for emotional distress.
Loss of Consortium
Loss of consortium means the loss of affection, companionship, or intimacy in relationships because of the accident. This is often claimed by a spouse if the victim can no longer provide the support and companionship they did before the accident.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are awarded as a punishment on the party who was responsible rather than as a compensation for the victim. These are not awarded in every case, but are available if the court decides that the actions of the defendant were especially fraudulent, malicious, or negligent.
If you were in an accident caused by someone else, get in touch with Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz (GBC) Law Office in Fort Myers, FL, today. We also serve the areas of Cape Coral, Naples, Port Charlotte, and Lehigh Acres.