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According to the most recent statistics from the State of Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, there are 9,763 vehicular accidents per year, resulting in 12,304 people injured and 640 fatalities.
Given these numbers, the likelihood of being injured in a car accident is high, and it’s natural to wonder what types of damages you can seek after an accident that left you or a loved one with injuries.
It’s not always obvious what damages you could be eligible for, so we’ll go through each of them to help you have a better understanding of your options.
Economic and Non-Economic Damages
Before discussing the types of damages that can be compensated for as a result of a injured in a car accident, it’s essential to understand the two main categories of damages: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are designed to help a plaintiff restore their property or physical body to the original condition. These damages are relatively straightforward to define and are usually reimbursed based on receipts and medical bills.
Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are more difficult to quantify because they’re based on an emotional component. They include pain and suffering as well as loss of quality of life.
Property Damage
Property isn’t just your car. It can also include things in it that were damaged in an accident. Depending on the extent of the damage to your vehicle, you could seek damages for repair or replacement.
Medical Expenses
Medical expenses can encompass anything that involves getting treatment to resolve the injury that occurred in the accident. These expenses included:
- Doctor’s visits and consultations
- Medical treatment (both immediate and ongoing)
- Ambulance fees and transportation to appointments
- Hospital stays
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Any related equipment and accessories (like crutches, prosthetics, etc.)
- Cognitive therapy
- Surgery
- In-home services
Lost Wages
If you’re unable to work as a result of your injury, you can seek damages for lost wages. This amount can be increased if your earning potential is diminished due to an accident or you lose your vocation.
Pain and Suffering
This broad category encompasses both mental and physical anguish. It could include the unpleasantness of living in constant pain for a period of time or suffering from the effects of emotional trauma, PTSD, depression, or anxiety.
Disfigurement
It can be tough to put a price tag on not looking the way that you always have. Hence, disfigurement damages attempt to put a value on what part of your body has been permanently damaged and how that will affect your earning potential and quality of life.
Loss of Consortium
Consortium refers to having a normal relationship with a loved one. Typically, it pertains to a spousal relationship, but it can also include a relationship with a child or other family member.
Loss of Quality of Life
A permanent injury will doubtless affect the quality of one’s life. These damages involve in-depth analysis and negotiation to determine a fair value.
Wrongful Death
In the event that a loved one dies as the result of an accident, wrongful death damages are often a part of a settlement. These damages account for both pain and suffering as well as expenses to cover funeral and burial fees.
Working with an Attorney to Recover Damages
If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident, you don’t have to face the other party’s insurance company alone and hope for a fair settlement. At the law firm of Bryan Garrett, we can work together to value your claim before you agree to what the insurance company offers. Contact us for a complimentary consultation at (405) 369-4498.
