When someone is involved in an accident that someone else caused, it is natural to want to hold the at-fault person accountable for their carelessness. No one should be expected to pay their own bills for an accident that never should have happened in the first place. Filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit can help a victim recover compensation for economic damages like costs of medical care, property damage, and lost wages from not being able to work during the recovery period. But did you know that non-economic damages like physical pain and suffering are also compensable? Read on for what you need to know about this type of damage.
Pain & Suffering Damages in Personal Injury Claims
In personal injury claims, “pain and suffering” refers to both the physical and emotional distress a person suffers after being injured in an accident. Accidents can cause all kinds of physical damage, including broken bones, bruising, soft tissue injuries, or in severe cases, head or spinal cord injuries. These injuries not only cause financial difficulties, but also severe pain and discomfort that can limit the victim’s ability to perform daily tasks or care for themselves or their families.
It seems obvious that careless people should be made to reimburse the person they have harmed for the pain they have endured, and indeed, personal injury claims should almost always demand compensation for pain and suffering. However, compensation is not automatic and there is no hard-and-fast rule for putting a dollar amount on this damage. Every case is different and everyone experiences pain differently. That is why it is important to work with an attorney who can assess your situation. He or she will ask you questions about how your injury has affected your day-to-day activities, how severe your pain is, and how long the pain and related consequences have lasted.
Getting Compensated for Emotional Distress
Persistent pain often contributes to a degree of emotional distress, which can be debilitating. Symptoms of emotional distress may include bitterness, depression, guilt, frustration, anxiety, insomnia, and a loss of interest in activities the victim once enjoyed. In order to recover compensation for this very real injury, the victim will have to clearly communicate their symptoms and be very specific about how the accident has affected their lives.
Seeking Maximum Compensation for Austin Accident Victims
If you have been hurt in an accident, The Stewart Law Firm, PLLC will work hard to ensure that you are properly compensated for all damages, including intangible ones. Our Austin personal injury attorney is available 24/7 to offer you immediate help – contact the firm today at (512) 326-3200 to get started with a free consultation.
