A critical part of building a compensation claim after a car accident is calculating an appropriate case value. As a Connecticut car accident victim, if your case is not adequately valued, you could end up not having the financial support you need to recover from your injuries.
Knowing what types of damages you can recover is the first step in calculating the value of your claim. A car accident lawyer can review your case and help you determine what types of damages you are entitled to receive. The most recoverable damages after an auto accident are medical expenses, property damages, and lost income, but there are more.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a Connecticut car accident, do not hesitate to contact Gould Injury Law today. Our lawyers will act fast to identify potential damages in your case and help you recover compensation.
Call us at 888-WIN-FAST or fill out the contact form to schedule a free case consultation.
What Are Connecticut Car Accident Damages?
Victims of auto accidents may incur significant expenses following a crash. Fortunately, car accident victims in Connecticut can take legal action to get compensation for injuries and damages sustained in the collision.
What does the term damages mean? “Damages” is a legal word used to describe the compensation that a person can collect after being injured due to another person’s negligence. To recover damage after a car accident, you will usually either need to file a claim with the negligent party’s insurance company or file a lawsuit.
Types of Damages Available Following a Connecticut Car Accident
Every motor vehicle accident claim is unique. The damages that you are eligible to receive will depend on factors such as the extent of your injuries and who is liable for the collision. At Gould Injury Law, we help our clients identify the damages they may qualify for, including the following, and settle their claims fast.
Property damage
It is likely that if you were injured in a car accident, then your vehicle sustained damage too. If your vehicle was repaired, you may need to present a receipt from the auto body shop. If the insurance company looked at your vehicle and declared it a total loss, then you could be compensated for the current market value of your vehicle.
Compensation for property damage might also include phones, laptops, cameras, or other items of value that were damaged in the crash. In addition, if you were unable to drive following the accident and used public transportation, taxis, or a rideshare service, you could be reimbursed for those expenses as well.
Medical expenses
You should be compensated for any medical bills that you have incurred as a result of the accident. Our law firm can help you recover fast and fair compensation for your medical treatments.
Medical-related expenses may include:
- Ambulance rides
- Hospital stays
- Diagnostic tests
- Surgeries
- Medications
- Doctor’s visits
- Rehabilitation therapy
- Medical devices
- At-home care costs
Compensation for medical expenses following a car accident should also include the costs of any needed future medical treatments. A personal injury lawyer may consult with medical experts to help calculate the costs of future medical care.
Loss of income
If you were injured in a car accident, you may be forced to miss work while you heal and recover. It can be stressful to be unable to work while you are accumulating medical bills and still need to cover living expenses.
Many car accident claims and lawsuits include damages for wages and bonuses you would have received if you were able to work. The amount that you receive will likely be based on pay stubs from recent paychecks, which you will need to provide as evidence. Damages for lost income could account for any career advancement opportunities or promotions you might have gained if you were able to work.
If your injuries are so severe that you will not ever be able to return to your previous career, your lawyer can help you pursue damages for loss of earning potential. The wages that you would have potentially earned over your lifetime will be calculated based on what you were earning before the accident.
Is the insurer putting up a hard fight? The car accident lawyers at Gould Injury Law can help you recover money for lost income faster than you would have thought possible.
Pain and suffering
Pain and suffering are common types of non-economic damages awarded in car accident cases. Unlike property damage, medical expenses, and lost wages, non-economic damages do not have a precise dollar amount and are more difficult to calculate.
“Pain and suffering” refers to the physical and mental stresses experienced as a direct result of car accident injuries. Pain and suffering damages thus account for almost any way that your injuries have negatively affected your life.
The amount of money you can collect for pain and suffering depends on factors such as the severity of your injuries, how these injuries affect the current quality of your life, and how the injuries will affect your life in the future.
Pain and suffering damages may also include compensation for:
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment
- Emotional distress
- Disability or disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
- Embarrassment
The amount of non-economic damages you can be awarded depends on the state you live in. In Connecticut, there is no cap on the amount of pain and suffering damages personal injury victims can recover. If you qualify to recover pain and suffering damages, our lawyers will act fast to help you get the money you deserve.
Wrongful death damages
If you have suffered the tragic loss of a loved one in a motor vehicle accident, a skilled personal injury lawyer may be able to help you recover wrongful death damages. At Gould Injury Law, we understand that no amount of money can compensate for the loss of someone you love.
However, wrongful death damages can help take some of the financial burdens off of your shoulders during this difficult time. We will help you get your case settled as fast and fair as possible.
Wrongful death damages may include:
- Burial costs
- Funeral expenses
- Loss of inheritance
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of household services (lawn care, childcare, etc.)
- Loss of consortium
Are Punitive Damages Awarded in Connecticut Car Accident Cases?
Unlike other types of damages, awarded to compensate a victim for his or her losses, punitive damages are ordered by a judge to punish the liable party for gross negligence. While punitive damages can be awarded in Connecticut car accident cases, this is rather rare.
One example of when punitive damages may be awarded in car accident cases is when a drunk driver caused the collision. The judge may issue that punitive damages be paid to deter the defendant and others from driving while intoxicated.
Benefits of Hiring a Connecticut Car Accident Attorney to Help You Collect Damages
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), car accident victims with obvious injuries will incur $29,200, on average, in economic losses. You may assume that it will be easy to collect compensation from the other party’s insurance company if you were not at fault for the accident. Unfortunately, the claims process can often be complicated and unfair.
A Connecticut car accident attorney from our firm can help you settle your claim fast. We want to help you recover the compensation you need and deserve.
Consider some of the benefits of having a personal injury lawyer on your side. He or she can do the following in your place:
- Investigate: In order to recover compensation for medical expenses and other damages, you will need evidence proving who was at fault. A car accident lawyer will be fast in conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of your car accident. This might include speaking to eyewitnesses, obtaining copies of police reports, looking at video surveillance footage of the crash site, and more.
- Calculate: Without a background in personal injury law, you might be unaware of some of the damages that you qualify to recover. By speaking with you and medical experts, a car accident lawyer can evaluate the effect the collision has had on every aspect of your life. Your lawyer will then use this information to determine the damages you are eligible for.
- Negotiate: Your auto accident attorney will handle all communications with the insurance company. Insurers may try to pressure you into accepting a fast and low settlement that is far less than what your claim is actually worth. An experienced lawyer, though, will have the negotiation skills needed to reach an offer that accounts for all of your losses.
- Litigate: While the majority of car accident cases are settled through negotiations with the insurance company, some claims need to be taken to court. If a fair settlement agreement cannot be reached with the insurer, your car accident lawyer will be prepared to take your case to try and present it before a judge and jury.
Schedule a Free Consultation With “The Fast Firm”
At Gould Injury Law, we understand that you want fair compensation as quickly as possible after being injured in a car accident. Our lawyers will act fast to determine what damages you qualify for and help you negotiate a settlement with the insurance company. We will offer legal advice, answer any questions you may have, and guide you through every stage of the claims process.
Our law firm is proud to be known as “The Fast Firm.” We earn this reputation every day by doing everything possible to accelerate claims for our clients. Our lawyers will work diligently in the same way to get you a fast and fair car accident settlement.
Schedule your free case review today. Call us at 888-WIN-FAST, click to start a live chat, or fill out the evaluation form.