You can initiate a personal injury claim in various situations, such as a car accident, slip-and-fall accident, medical malpractice, or anything that causes injuries due to another person’s negligence.
Sometimes, you are entitled to both economic and non-economic damages and, in rare cases, punitive damages when you settle a personal injury claim. A personal injury lawyer can help you to identify and pursue these damages.
There are many different common injuries associated with accidents. If you are worried about paying for necessary medical care, a Baton Rouge personal injury attorney helps you to get the compensation.
Economic and Non-Economic Damages
The economic and non-economic damages that you are entitled to depend on the type of accident you have suffered, its consequences, and injuries.
For example, in a slip-and-fall accident, you are entitled to economic damages that imply medical expenses and lost wages due to your inability to work and the injuries you have suffered.
In contrast, you are rewarded for the same things but also property damage in car accident events.
In a slip-and-fall accident, you can also receive non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering (during your recovery period) or humiliation, among other things.
In a car accident, you will most likely also pursue non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, but you can opt for compensation for suffering from PTSD due to the incident or other psychological disorders such as anxiety, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, and others.
The damages that you are entitled strictly depend on your well-being and how the accident affected you physically and emotionally.
When it comes to punitive damages, they aren’t meant as compensation for the victim but rather as an additional punishment for the parties responsible for your troubles.
In some situations, there might be multiple parties to blame for your injuries, and this also plays a role in the damages you are entitled to. The best way to tell is by speaking with a personal injury attorney.
Collaborating With a Personal Injury Attorney
A personal injury attorney knows exactly what damages you are entitled to based on your injuries, mental state, and how the accident occurred. It is important, though, that you find an attorney that you can easily connect with.
Strong communication is essential in all legal cases, and if you feel comfortable speaking with your attorney about everything that you went through and after the accident, they will know exactly what they should aim for and ensure you are properly compensated for your troubles.
An attorney will gather evidence, speak with witnesses, and negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf to ensure that you receive the compensation that you deserve.
Pursuing a case on your own doesn’t have the same weight in the eyes of the entities responsible for your compensation, and you also cannot estimate the true value of your injuries without professional legal assistance.
This is why finding a personal injury lawyer is crucial. If the at-fault parties deny or delay your case, they will be able to pressure them into settling the case, or build you a strong case and prove who was the negligent party.