What is my Personal Injury Case Worth?
Injuries, whether they are because of an automobile accident or a workplace accident involving workers’ compensation, can be catastrophic not only to your health but to your finances. It is only natural that many of our clients need to know what their case is worth. Many of our clients have sustained injuries that have made it difficult or impossible to go to work and often times their personal life is affected as well. Often times we associate workplace injuries or automobile accident injuries with an inability to provide income, but there are other factors as well. Your injury may prevent you from caring for others who depend upon you at home, they may prevent you from enjoying your life and hobbies and they may cause you pain and suffering.
It is important for you and your attorney to understand the details of the harm you have sustained. The details of how these injuries affect your personal and professional life are as important as the manner by which you sustained these injuries.
Understanding Damages in a Personal Injury Case
Compensatory damages are damages to which we can attach a dollar amount. Medical bills and property damage are compensatory damages that might be fairly easy to quantify; however, placing a dollar value on pain and suffering or the inability to enjoy a good quality of life because of accident-related injuries may be more nuanced and thus difficult to quantify.
Some compensatory damages might include: Medical Treatment, Rehabilitation Costs, Physical Therapy, Lost Wages (which might include a loss of your future income), Pain and Suffering, Emotional Distress, Property Loss. You may even have compensatory damages relating to the ability to enjoy your day-to-day life. Even the loss of companionship such as a husband or wife as a result of the impact your injury may be considered as damages.
Your behavior or action – and even inaction – can affect the amount of damages you are or are not awarded. If you are partly at fault your award will be reduced to the degree to which your conduct contributed to causing the accident or incident. You should also be aware that you are responsible to “mitigate damages.” For instance, it is important that you follow through by getting any recommended treatments so that your injuries do not worsen. The responsibility of failing to nip a problem in the bud resulting in a large or catastrophic result may be placed on you if you caused it by not following your doctor’s advice or taking other actions within your control to minimize their effects on your life.
Discuss Your Case with the Personal Injury Attorney, Kevin Boyne
Call us to schedule a free initial consultation at our Belleville office or at a convenient location in Illinois and Missouri. Discuss your personal injury or workers’ compensation case with a Belleville injury attorney. Call (618) 277-7770 or use our Contact Page.
