Accident victims are often left experiencing a great deal of financial stress in addition to their physical pain and suffering. Medical bills, lost wages, and property damages can really add up. Whether you were involved in a car accident, truck accident, pedestrian accident, or a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to compensation to cover all your damages.
Not only can you recover the damages you have already sustained, but you may also be entitled to compensation for any future damages you may incur because of your accident. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help identify all your damages and get you the compensation you are legally owed.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Injury Victims?
Indiana law allows accident victims to recover damages as long as they are not more than 50% responsible for their accident. The two main types of damages available after an accident are:
- Economic damages
- Non-economic damages
Economic damages tend to have an immediate financial impact, and you are likely already feeling the effects of those on your bank account. Non-economic damages are not tied to a financial loss but compensate you for your physical and emotional pain and suffering.
What Are Economic Damages?
Economic damages are the financial losses you suffered as a result of your accident, and it is usually easy to prove the value of these damages. Economic damages have a specific dollar value associated with them. Unlike non-economic damages, which are more subjective, economic damages are objective and straightforward to calculate. Economic damages can come in several forms.
Medical Bills
If you were injured in your accident, you likely had to seek medical treatment for your injuries. Even minor accidents can sometimes result in thousands of dollars worth of medical bills. You may have a right to not only be compensated for all your current medical bills, but you may be owed compensation for all the future medical bills you will incur because of your injury as well. Some common examples of medical expenses include:
- Emergency treatment
- Ambulance transportation
- Surgery
- Hospital stays
- Follow-up doctor visits
- Physical therapy
- Home health care
- Prescription medication
- Medical equipment or devices
Medical expenses can add up quickly, and you might find yourself incurring these expenses for many years in some cases. Don’t let the insurance company take advantage of you by failing to properly calculate the value of your future medical care needs.
Lost Wages
Serious injuries may cause you to miss time from work, and most people do not get paid when they are not at work. You may be able to recover your lost wages from the party responsible for your accident. In situations involving catastrophic injuries, you might be unable to ever return to work.
Your future lost earnings can also be compensable. If you are able to return to work, but in a lesser capacity, you may be entitled to recover the difference between what you would have earned and what you are able to earn after your injury.
Property Damage
Not only are you likely to suffer an injury after an accident, but your personal property may have been damaged as well. When most people think of property damage after an accident, they think of the cost of repairing their vehicle. However, you may be entitled to recover damages to repair or replace any damaged property.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses
There are many smaller expenses you might see after an accident. Some victims may not even realize these expenses may be compensable. Some examples include:
- Over-the-counter medication
- Travel expenses for medical treatment or doctor’s visits
- Childcare costs
- Assisted living expenses
Some of these expenses might not seem like much individually, but they can add up quickly. Make sure you document everything you had to spend because of your accident or injury.
Proving the Value of Your Economic Damages
Economic damages have a specific dollar value, and proving this value is usually straightforward. You will need documentation that shows the specific amounts of your financial losses. Some common documentation used to prove economic damages includes:
- Bills
- Invoices
- Receipts
- Bank statements
- Insurance benefit statements
- Credit card statements
Keeping as much documentation as possible is crucial to help prove the value of your economic damages. Missing documentation may prevent you from recovering all the compensation you are entitled to.
Getting Help With Your Economic Damages Claim
Although proving the value of your economic damages may be fairly easy, sometimes holding the other party accountable is not so easy. Insurance companies will sometimes do everything they can to avoid paying your claim.
If you have suffered damages as a result of someone else’s negligence, you need an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you get the compensation you are owed. An attorney at Rob King & Associates, Trial Lawyers can help negotiate a full and fair recovery for your damages, so contact one today for a free consultation at (317) 916-0000.
