Car Accident: If you have been involved in a traffic accident and as a result, your health, physical or mental, has been affected, you should know your rights. You may be entitled to compensation. While money cannot simply pay for happiness or make up for all of the losses you have suffered, it can help to bring you closer to justice and alleviate the stresses of mounting medical bills and loss of income, which will help you to recover and live a little easier in the circumstances. Your damages will be covered by compensation if you seek legal advice after the accident and your lawyer fights for the best financial returns possible for you.
Different Types of Accidents
Have you ever been in a car accident that was not your fault, but that could be attributed to a third party? These types of scenarios happen every day, and the same occurs with truck accidents, motorcycle and bike accidents, boat accidents, or with premises liability or dangerous product incidents. It is very common that people suffer damages at the hands of a third party, whether they are a private individual, or a company, such as a trucking company whose faulty truck has led to your personal injury.
If any of these scenarios is familiar to you and you have suffered physical or emotional damages, you could be entitled to compensation. Just remember to contact a lawyer as soon after the incident as possible, as there can be statutes of limitations on liability claims, which is usually four years.
Damages and Injuries
Since one of the first things you will do after your accident is to seek medical help, you will instantly start racking up medical bills. Compensation should cover medical expenses related to the accident, and any ongoing treatments you require. You should also be compensated for emotional damages, such as trauma and depression related to the incident. If you are not able to work as a result of the accident, you will receive financial compensation to make up for this loss of income.
Physical injuries that are common include traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, burns, and soft tissue damage. Your compensation should cover not only the practical expenses of medical bills and accessibility adjustments to your home but the psychological impact of being physically impaired.
Claim Compensation
There are a couple of things to consider when it comes to compensation claims. First, if you can demonstrate that you have suffered emotional anguish, pain, and suffering, loss of income or diminished future earning capacity, or any other accident-related out-of-pocket expenses, a personal injury lawyer in Tampa will fight for you to receive all the compensation you deserve for your accident-related damages. Moreover, the defendant can even be required to pay out punitive charges on top of the compensation money if they have been found to have committed an offense so damaging that the compensation alone does not suffice as damage payment.
When you have suffered an injury due to the negligence of another, you may be able to file a compensation claim to receive damages. To succeed in your claim, there are a few things you will need to prove. First, you must show that the defendant owed you a duty of care. This means that they were required to take reasonable steps to prevent you from being harmed. Next, you will need to demonstrate that the defendant breached this duty of care by failing to take the necessary precautions. Finally, you will need to show that this breach of duty resulted in your injuries. If you can prove all of these elements, then you may be entitled to receive compensation for your damages. These include medical expenses, lost wages, pain, and suffering. In some cases, punitive damages may also be awarded if the defendant’s actions were especially egregious. If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you should speak with a lawyer at Dennis Hernandez & Associates about your legal options.
Finally, if someone is killed in a car accident, through no fault of their own, their dependents, spouse, or parents if they are unmarried and without children, can claim wrongful death compensation. This will not make the situation okay, but it will help to support the immediate family left behind and minimize financial stress and suffering.
Speak To A Therapist
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with around 40% of survivors developing PTSD, and each year in the United States an estimated six million car crashes take place.
Risk factors for developing PTSD include disassociation during or immediately after the traumatic event, a history of prior trauma, high emotions during and after the event, such as severe guilt, horror or helplessness, a perceived life threat to yourself or others, lack of social support following the crash, or previous problems adjusting psychologically.
If you think this applies to you, seek professional help, as there are therapies and medications that can help you.
Seek Professional Advice
This has been a brief guide to motor vehicle accidents, the damages they can cause, and what to do following an accident. The most important takeaway from this guide is to contact a lawyer immediately following a traffic incident that was not your fault. They will be able to fight for compensation for you and demonstrate that the fault lies with a third party.
However, also bear in mind that you need to look after yourself in more ways than financially, and if you feel PTSD coming on, or recognize it in a loved one who has been in an accident, it is important to seek medical advice and have a good support group around you.