Not all personal injury lawsuits are alike
If you’ve been injured in an accident, your first instinct might be to file a lawsuit against the individual or entity responsible for it. Of course, there may be a number of parties that hold the blame for the incident. Insurance companies that deny payouts to which you’re entitled may bear some of the blame as well. Depending on the nature of the case, your suit may involve multiple types of damages.
Common Types of Compensatory Damages
The most common types of damages to which you may be entitled include:
- Property damage: You may be able to recover the value of damaged, lost or totaled property at its fair market value
- Lost income: This may include income lost during your recovery period as well as long-term income losses that result from your inability to perform your current job or find a suitable replacement
- Medical bills: This includes reimbursement for acute treatment as well as long-term rehabilitation costs
- Emotional distress and loss of enjoyment: If your accident leads to diagnosed emotional issues or makes it impossible for you to pursue a normal lifestyle, you may be entitled to additional compensation
Punitive Damages
If it can be proven that the responsible party was intentionally negligent or particularly careless in creating the conditions that led to your accident, you may be entitled to a significant award on top of the damages described above. Although not every personal injury plaintiff can successfully sue for punitive damages, payouts can be extremely generous.
What Can You Do to Increase Your Chances of Success?
The burden of proof rests with the plaintiff in a personal injury case and you can take several steps to increase your likelihood of a successful outcome in your case. For instance, seek immediate medical treatment after an accident and closely follow all recommendations from medical staff. Additionally, make sure to prove that your own negligence didn’t contribute to the incident. Failing to do so might reduce the award for which you’re eligible.
Regardless of the nature of your personal injury lawsuit or the extent to which your injuries affect your post-incident life, it’s critical to understand how and when to fight for justice against those responsible for your pain. It’s also critical to work with an experienced personal injury attorney who has helped hundreds of people secure favorable outcomes in their cases. To learn more about what we can do to help, contact us today.
