Do I Need To Hire A Lawyer After My Accident?

Often people ask why is it important to hire a lawyer to help with my car accident. Why am I not able to settle this on my own?

There are a variety of reasons why you should hire a lawyer in order to assist with your personal injury claim. When someone gets injured in a car accident, there are different heads of damage (categories of money) that person is entitled to receive as compensation.

Firstly, out of pocket expenses are recoverable. These out of pocket expenses are called “special damages”. What are special damages? Special damages include cost for treatments and even mileage to and from appointments.

Secondly, a person who was involved in a car accident is entitled to past wage loss. If, due to the accident, you had to miss work, you are entitled to recover the wages you missed because of your injuries. Similarly, if, due to the accident, you had to change jobs because of your injuries and you can no longer do the same work, you are entitled to the difference is wage (if it’s been reduced) between the two jobs. For example, if you were a surgeon and you broke your hand in a car accident and could no longer perform surgeries, and the only work he/she could do was an administrative desk job, that surgeon would be entitled to the difference in pay between being a surgeon and being an administrator. This amount gets extrapolated over time until the age of retirement; thus proving to be a large number.

Thirdly, you are entitled to compensation for pain and suffering as a result of the injuries sustained in the vehicle accident. This category is referred to as non-pecuniary damages, or pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. Our courts have ruled on all kinds of injuries resulting from car crashes. Therefore, we are able to determine what the range of damages would be for any particular injury. That being said, there is a maximum allowable amount which is capped off at approximately $350,000. The maximum allowable amount is generally awarded in circumstances where there is a brain injury or spinal cord injury.

Fourthly, you are entitled to cost of future care after a car accident. If as a result of the accident, you are now required to take pain medication or receive therapy into the future, we obtain expert reports that set out that amount. Similarly, if someone is rendered a quadriplegic and that person requires ongoing daily care, a dollar value will be determined for that care and extrapolated over time which is then paid out at the conclusion of the claim or trial.

In order to determine the values for each head of damage, we send our clients to various experts who will then provide their reports which will set out what the particular cost is for that particular head of damage. Our job is to maximize your award and the personal injury team at FH&P Lawyers is very experienced in doing so. We are out to protect your interests and to ensure you are receiving fair and adequate compensation for your injuries.

If you are in a car accident and it wasn’t your fault, it is important to come see us for a free consultation to discuss what you’re entitled to in terms of compensation.