3 Types Of Compensation For Car Accidents

If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you are most likely dealing with the medical component of those injuries, as well as the mental and emotional stress that comes along with a collision. On top of these stressors, you may also be dealing with worries about how to pay for medical bills, car repairs, and more. If you are wondering what to do after a car wreck, consider working with a personal injury lawyer so that you can focus on your recovery. 

Economic Damages

Economic damages are calculable costs incurred as a result of the wreck. These types of damages can typically be proven and verified with objective items like receipts or bills. Some of the more common forms of economic damages after a car accident include:

Medical Expenses

Medical expenses after a traumatic car collision can quickly reach the range of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Certain injuries may require extensive medical procedures to fully resolve. Additionally, medical expenses may continue to pile up for years if ongoing treatment is required.

Lost Income and Wages

If you are left unable to work after an accident due to your injuries, then you may be eligible to seek compensation for these lost wages. You may also be able to seek compensation for your loss of earning capacity moving forward. If you are left with permanent injuries after the accident, then this loss of earning capacity may impact you for the rest of your life.

Property Damage

The most common example of property damage after an accident is damage to a vehicle, and this can certainly be addressed through compensation. However, there may be other forms of property that are damaged in an accident. For example, anything that you have in your vehicle when the accident occurs that gets damaged could be something that you seek compensation for in a claim.

Rental Car Costs 

If your vehicle is rendered undriveable because of the accident, you may need a rental car to go about your daily life. The cost for this rental car may be another item that you can seek compensation for.

Non-Economic Damages

As opposed to economic damages, which can be calculated to a reasonable degree of certainty, non-economic damages refer to the mental and emotional toll that an accident takes on a victim. While these things are harder to put a specific number on, the general rule is that the more of an impact that an accident has on a victim, the higher the amount of non-economic damages will be.

Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering certainly refers to the physical pain and suffering that an accident victim may experience due to their injuries. However, it can also refer to mental and emotional suffering—for example, an accident victim may suffer from severe anxiety and potentially be unable to drive after their accident.

Loss of Affection and Companionship

These specific types of non-economic damages are common in car accident cases that result in a wrongful death claim. The family members of someone who lost their life in a car accident may be able to recover damages for the loss of companionship of the person who passed.

Loss of Enjoyment of Life

As a result of their injuries, many car accident victims are less able to enjoy the activities that they participated in before. Things that may seem relatively small, like spending time in the garden or going on walks in the park, are examples of loss of enjoyment of life claims. 

Punitive Damages

While economic damages and non-economic damages are intended to compensate victims for their injuries and make them as whole as possible, punitive damages serve a different purpose. For accidents in which the at-fault party acted in a particularly reckless or even purposeful way, punitive damages may be added to the other two forms to punish or to serve as a warning to other drivers to not act in a similar way.

Need Help? Contact Zinda Law Group Today

Car accidents can be traumatic and life-altering, and you should have a knowledgeable attorney by your side to help you seek the damages you deserve.  We believe no one should have to worry about affording legal representation to seek compensation for their injuries, which is why we offer a No Win, No Fee Guarantee.  You don’t owe us anything unless we win your case.  Call the car accident attorneys at Zinda Law Group today at (888) 572-1726 for a free case evaluation.