If you were hurt in an accident that was someone else’s fault, after seeking immediate medical treatment, the first thing you should do is consult with an attorney so you may become informed as to your rights, including your right to receive full and fair compensation for your injuries and damages.
Continue reading to learn more about confirming the worth of your personal injury claim, including the common damages you might recover, and how to get started with a free consultation with a seasoned Indiana accident lawyer.
Calculating Personal Injury Claim Values
The value of your personal injury claim is important because in the end, you deserve the be granted full and fair compensation for all of your damages and losses. Whether the value of your claim is relatively small or substantial, it is vital that you seek proper legal consultation and representation from an experienced Indiana personal injury law firm. They can ensure that you receive the maximum settlement or verdict for your claim.
It is impossible to precisely quantify a personal injury claim before extensive investigation and case documentation have been completed and even then although it is difficult , you can get a rough estimate by identifying the common damages in a personal injury claim. There are a few different categories of damages recognized by the law, but the two primary types of personal injury damages are compensatory and punitive damages.
Compensatory Damages
Compensatory damages are also called actual damages, as they are measurable by calculation, and intended to compensate you for your out-of-pocket costs that resulted from your accident and injuries. Actual damages include both economic and future-economic losses, like hospital bills, medical expenses, lost wages from missing time at work, fuel costs driving to and from medical care, and future economic losses, such as permanent disability, disfigurement, loss of consortium (intimacy),loss of work abilities, loss of education experience, and similar reasonably measurable losses. Pain and suffering and mental anguish damages are the most important damages in a personal injury case however.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are much different than compensatory damages. Also known as exemplary damages (as in ‘setting an example’), such damages are awarded to accident victims more so for the purpose of punishing the at-fault party, as well as setting a public example to deter the particular type of gross negligence involved in the case. This generally occurs when the at-fault party is found or suspected to have acted deliberately, spitefully, grossly negligent, or with wanton disregard for the rights and welfare of the victim. Nonetheless, it is the victim that is compensated in the end for such egregious negligence.
How to Get Started on Your Personal Injury Claim in Indiana
Start by gathering up all of your quantifiable compensatory damages, such as medical bills, hospital bills, your lost paychecks from missing work, and any other bills that resulted from your accident and injuries. This will give you a very rough estimate of how much your case might be worth. You should hire an attorney right away because they will help you in obtaining the necessary evidence for your case and they will obtain the vast majority of the evidence so you do not have to. Your next step is to contact an Indianapolis personal injury lawyer to learn more about the validity and strength of your claim. Most accident law firms will meet with you for free to hear your case.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Indiana Personal Injury Attorneys
Call the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 for reputable and experienced personal injury representation in Indianapolis, Indiana. Accident attorneys, Daniel Craven, Ralph Hoover, and Keith Blazek offer free initial consultations and never collect lawyer fees unless they win your settlement and recover compensation for your damages. We serve clients in Indianapolis and all throughout Indiana, via phone, online video conference, or in-person at our Indy-based office. Get started today, before the statute of limitations runs out on your claim!