After a person has been injured in a car accident, they may be entitled to a number of elements of compensation, also called damages. Some of these damages are quantifiable and can be easily calculated by the incurred costs. Other types of damages are not tangible and can be harder to put a value to.
Regardless of the type of damages, David E. Gordon is practiced at evaluating losses to demand a comprehensive damage package. If you or a loved one has recently been in a vehicle collision, let a dedicated attorney work for you to receive all recoverable damages in a Memphis car accident.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are losses that can be measured objectively when evaluating how much to demand in a compensation package. Medical bills are economic damages because they can be measured precisely based on hospital bills, doctor’s visits, and prescription costs. The loss of value of a vehicle or property could be also included as economic damage.
Wage and Income Loss
Wage or income loss is also an economic damage because it can be measured exactly. An injured person would be entitled to recover for their lost earnings while they were rehabilitating, regardless of whether their employer paid them while they were recovering or if they had sick time available that they were able to use.
If an injured person missed work because of their injury or to attend doctor’s appointments, this loss can be calculated into the compensation the plaintiff receives. Especially if a person is temporarily unable to work or cannot return to the same position after their accident, they could obtain money to offset the losses. Finally, if they have such a serious injury that they are likely to lose income in the future, they are entitled to recover that as well.
Non-Economic Damages
Evaluating non-economic damages can be more difficult because the losses are not as tangible or easy to measure. These losses include damages such as pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.
Physical pain is fairly easy to understand because pain can be documented if someone has a bad knee, a hurt back, or an injured neck. This is why an attorney may recommend that a plaintiff document their daily pain to provide evidence to recover compensation later on.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
When it comes to mental suffering, there are non-economic damages that are what we call a loss of enjoyment of life. Loss of enjoyment of life can be tremendous, and a huge element in a person’s list of losses. These are important elements of a person’s losses but can be harder to measure.
A Memphis legal advisor would look to compare the person’s quality of life before and after the accident. David might look at if the person has trouble doing everyday tasks alone if their participation in activities such as family gatherings, church attendance, and hobbies has decreased.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages is the term used to describe money that is awarded to punish the wrongdoer. If the defendant’s conduct is such an activity that is not tolerated in a civilized society, the judge could force them to pay damages to discourage the behavior from occurring again. These types of damages are common in a car crash where the defendant driver was operating their vehicle under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance.
Explore Your Recoverable Damages After a Memphis Car Accident
You do not have to limit yourself to only seeking damages for your quantifiable damages. An experienced attorney could help you understand all of your recoverable damages in a Memphis car accident case. Call attorney David E. Gordon today to get started on finding financial relief.
