If you are involved in a serious car accident, you could suffer significant injuries because of someone else’s negligence. Perhaps they ran a stop sign or drifted over the center line while they were distracted by their cellphone.
You know that you can seek compensation from that other driver because they were liable for the crash. But what type of compensation should you be looking for?
The impact on your health
The first thing to think about is how the accident has impacted your health and what type of medical care you need. For instance, you may have received emergency treatment after the crash and transportation to a medical center, so you could be facing tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills.
Secondly, the accident could create some long-term medical needs. Perhaps you’ll need further healthcare in the future, or maybe your injuries will lead to a disability, so that you need around-the-clock care. You can seek compensation for both short-term and long-term medical costs.
The impact on your earnings
The third area to consider is how the accident affects your ability to earn. Immediately, you may lose wages if you miss time at work because you’re in the hospital or at home recovering.
But once again, you also have to look at the long-term costs. If your injury makes it more difficult for you to earn in the future, you could have reduced earning capacity. You can sometimes seek compensation for the wages you otherwise would have earned but are losing in the future due to your injuries.
Navigating this process can be complex, so be sure you know what legal steps to take.
