If you’ve been hurt due to a car accident that wasn’t entirely your fault, you might be aware that you can claim compensation for your injuries. However, you may not know what type of compensation you can obtain or how much your claim could be worth. To learn more, take a look at the types of damages you can claim after a car accident in Michigan:
1. Economic Damages
Economic damages refer to the compensation you receive for the financial losses you’ve suffered as a result of the incident. Medical bills can be extremely costly, for example, and they’re just one type of expense that can be covered by economic damages. If you’ve been unable to work due to your injuries, economic damages can also cover lost income and even future lost earnings, if your injuries are likely to affect you in the future.
Similarly, if you’ve incurred additional expenses due to your injuries, such as paying for additional childcare or funding help around the house, these could be included in your compensation award as economic damages too.
2. Non-Economic Damages
As well as recouping the financial costs you’ve experienced due to the incident, you can also obtain non-economic damages following a car accident. If you’re ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING, for example, this is a form of non-economic damages that can be included in your compensation claim.
Of course, pain and suffering can be difficult to quantify, which is why it’s so important to get legal advice before starting your claim. With help from a personal injury lawyer, you can determine how much you’re likely to be awarded, based on the severity of the injuries you’ve sustained, the level of fault you may have and the impact your injuries are likely to have on you in the future.
3. Exemplary Damages
In some instances, you may also be able to claim exemplary damages as part of your compensation award. These aren’t necessarily designed to punish plaintiffs, as punitive damages are in some other states, but they are only awarded when a plaintiff has been shown to act with willful disregard or malice.
Calculating Your Compensation Award
As you can see, determining how much compensation you should be awarded is no easy task. While economic damages can be calculated fairly easily, with evidence of the costs you’ve incurred being supplied, non-economic and exemplary damages are much more difficult to assess.
Generally, personal injury attorneys will use their knowledge and experience to assess your case in relation to previous lawsuits. This can help to determine what a fair settlement is, depending on the exact circumstances of your claim. Alternatively, a court could decide how much compensation you should be awarded, if your case goes to trial.
If you want to obtain the maximum amount of compensation and ensure your claim is successful, it’s always advisable to seek legal advice. By hiring a lawyer to represent you, you can make sure that your rights are fully protected and that you get the compensation you truly deserve.
