An injured accident victim loses more than the ability to enjoy a healthy body. The victim’s injury can lead to a loss of expected earnings, along with the possible need to spend money on repairs to damaged property, or the replacement for something that cannot be fixed.
Economic losses
Past income lost, because victim was recovering from injury and unable to carry-out his or her job responsibilities. Injury Lawyer in Georgetown know that future income that seems to be denied the victim, due to medical problems associated with the injury, or even with a failed treatment for that same injured body part.
Medical expenses: This involves the cost of the tests used to diagnose the nature of any injuries. It also involves the cost of treatment and any time spent undergoing rehabilitation. Sometimes an accident victim needs to use special equipment. That need introduces yet another cost.
Damage to any personal property: After a collision, the involved vehicles may be damaged; they must be repaired. Following a slip and fall incident, the victim may have damaged some pieces of clothing. A defective product might do damage to some item, when used on that same item.
If a family member has been fatally injured in an accident, the close relatives might choose to travel to the bedside of that dying loved-one. Each of them has the right to seek reimbursement for travel expenses. In addition, each of them can seek repayment for money spent on accommodations, while staying close to that injured relative’s bedside. If an injured victim dies, the family members can seek money for funeral expenses.
Non-economic losses
These come under the heading of pain and suffering. Emotional issues that were introduced by the accident and the resulting harm get considered in this area. For instance, to what degree was the victim embarrassed? In what ways did the victim suffer a loss of the enjoyment of life?
What was the result of harm done to a driver or passenger? Did that harm cause someone to suffer a loss of domestic household services? Such a loss can have profound effects on someone that relies greatly on such services. Relatives might be able to take the place of a domestic helper for a short period of time. Still, their services may not get delivered as smoothly as those offered by the missing accident victim.
Some victims get money for more than losses. Some of them get money for punitive damages. A judge might award such damages if the defendant had acted in a totally unacceptable fashion at the time of the incident that harmed the plaintiff/victim. When that is the case, then the court seeks to hit the poor-behaving defendant with an added form of punishment.