By: Georgia injury lawyer and Atlanta car accident lawyer Holly Stephens of the McArthur Law Firm for Car Crash Advice and Information
Types of Damages Available for Georgia Motor Vehicle Accidents
It’s important to know how seriously you have been hurt in a car accident, not just what caused it. In the United States car accidents result in more than 3,300,000 people being seen at emergency rooms each year.
Injuries sustained from vehicular accidents can be severe and life-altering. Back and neck trauma can result in chronic pain and limited mobility, while brain damage can lead to cognitive impairments and emotional challenges. Spinal cord injuries can cause paralysis and a loss of independence.
Compensation from a car accident claim in Georgia can help alleviate the financial burden that comes with medical bills, lost wages, and rehabilitation costs. It can also provide a sense of justice and closure for the emotional trauma and mental anguish experienced as a result of the accident.
The monetary compensation you may be entitled to after a car crash can cover a wide range of expenses, including medical treatment, therapy, home modifications, and lost income. It can also help you and your loved ones cope with the emotional toll of the accident, such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Overall, seeking compensation after a vehicular accident is crucial in order to address both the financial and emotional hardships that can arise from such a traumatic event. It is important to consult with a legal professional to understand your rights and options for pursuing compensation.
Understanding Economic Damages in Vehicle Crash Cases
Economic damages refer to the financial losses incurred as a result of a specific incident or wrongdoing. These damages are intended to compensate the injured party for the actual monetary losses they have suffered. Examples of economic damages include medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and other out-of-pocket expenses, as outlined below.
Proving economic damages typically involves providing documentation and evidence to support the claimed losses. This can include medical bills, repair estimates, pay stubs, and other financial records. By presenting this evidence, the injured party can demonstrate the extent of their financial losses and justify the amount of compensation they are seeking.
Unlike non-economic damages, which are more subjective and difficult to quantify, economic damages are generally easier to calculate and prove. This is because they are based on tangible financial losses that can be objectively measured. As a result, economic damages are often a key component of personal injury lawsuits, contract disputes, and other legal cases where financial compensation is sought.
These damages may include:
- Money spent on medical care in the past and for the future (e.g., future surgeries). For some, ambulance transport by first responders, plus all that follows
- Wages lost in the past (after the incident, missing wages) and future loss of earning capacity
- Damage to your property that may include the vehicle you were driving and any items inside that were destroyed
- Money spent out of your own pocket to get back to normal
What are the Different Types of Non-Economic Damages?
Non-economic damages are a little less clear. These damages are meant to pay you for the losses that are not related to money that you have experienced. Non-economic damages are compensation for losses not related to money.
Your car accident lawyer in Atlanta will work with specialists to determine how much you should be compensated for these losses. This includes pain and suffering, inability to enjoy life, emotional distress, and changes in appearance or physical abilities.
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium (not being able to engage in sexual relations with your significant other)
- Not being able to enjoy life as much
- Emotional distress
- Changes in your appearance or physical abilities
With the assistance of Senior Partner and Firm Founder Kathy McArthur, our legal professionals can handle even the biggest motor vehicle crash cases. With a cumulative 101 years of service and over $450 Million recovered, the credentials of our personal injury attorneys Atlanta GA are well known statewide, especially after Mrs. McArthur was named the 2024 Cover Story attorney for Georgia (all legal practice areas).
How to Maximize Your Recovery After Serious Injury
Several steps and strategies should be taken by victims of accidents (e.g., car wreck, pedestrian struck by a vehicle, or a slip and fall in a grocery store or big box department store like Walmart) to preserve and strengthen their potential legal claims. Each of these tips that anyone can follow will likely enhance the person’s likelihood of obtaining a recovery of money for her or his losses.
Some universally clear suggestions exist, including:
- Get checked out that day, not later. If you are injured in any kind of accident, seek medical attention right away. Not doing this usually is a signal to insurers that you really did not get hurt.
First responders like EMTs or ambulance attendants will assess the severity of your injuries on the scene. Some injuries may not manifest themselves as being serious at first, which is often due to adrenaline coursing through your body.
Even if you don’t think your injuries are serious, it is important to be seen and evaluated by hospital personnel, and do it that day. When in doubt, it’s best to be cautious and seek medical assistance.
Some types of head trauma start with a slow bleed in the brain and can end in death. Other symptoms sometimes appear a day or two later.
- If able to do so, fully swap insurance information and get the tag and VIN number from the other vehicle. Take a photo of his or her driver’s license, too.
If the crash damages other property, like fences or a parked vehicle that was struck, take photos of all of that damage, so that those property owners can get repaid for repairs.
Every car accident victim able to do so should use a cell phone to video or take still shots of items at the accident scene, including the resting positions of all vehicles. If any fluid trails (coming from a busted engine block or radiator) are visible, capture this evidence.
- It is important to thoroughly document any medical treatment received in order to keep an accurate record of your health history. This includes visits to doctors, specialists, hospitals, clinics, and any other healthcare providers.
- On medical treatment, be certain to note down the treatment date (s), every medical provider’s name, the purpose of each visit, any diagnoses given, keeping copies of any prescriptions for prescribed drugs, and for subsequent follow-up doctor visits or therapy sessions. Having a complete medical history can help doctors make better decisions about your care.
Maintaining comprehensive records of your medical care can assist in guaranteeing that you receive suitable medical follow-up care in the future. These records will help document any insurance claims that must be made, plus be useful for any legal issues.
- Note any loss of wages.
- Keep track of the cost of repairing or replacing damaged property.
This will help reduce the chances of being caught up in a fraudulent claim. Some policies may cover the initial costs of medical treatment for accident victims.
Contact your insurance company right away, but (in serious cases) wait to give a full report until you have consulted with legal counsel. If only property damage has occurred, you can handle these cases yourself, in most cases.
There’s no legal obligation for you to provide a statement to the insurance adjuster of the other party. If pressed about this, contact an attorney to assist you.
If you are on medication, injured, confused, tired, or upset, it is best not to answer questions. It is recommended to speak with your lawyer before giving any statements.
Contact our McArthur Lawyers at our Atlanta Office for Your FREE Consult
Obtain a FREE attorney consultation that can assist any seriously injured individuals. Michael Thompson, auto accident lawyer Atlanta GA is also at the Atlanta Office location, as well as Atlanta personal injury attorney Lindsey Macon.
Atlanta auto accident lawyer Michael Thompson
Atlanta auto accident lawyer Lindsey Macon
When you need to seek compensation for a trucking accident or car accident claim, please take advantage of our FREE consultation with our car wreck lawyers Atlanta. Our legal warriors can assist you on any car accident case for which a debilitating or grievous injury to you or a family member has taken place.
Call our Atlanta number, 404-565-1621, for immediate attention to your potential legal case. Since the call is FREE, why wait any longer?
