The law provides you with an opportunity for indemnification after you are the victim of an accident that was not your fault. While some accidents are inevitable, being a victim of one does not mean the end for you. Filing a compensation claim can help you get by after an injury. Discover factors that determine the amount you receive as compensation in a personal injury claim.
Severity of Injuries
The severity of injuries reveals the impacts of the accident. These details help in determining the amount of money you receive as compensation. However, how do you determine the severity of your injuries?
One of the standard methods of determining the severity of injuries is the Injury Severity Score. If an accident resulted in trauma on multiple body parts, doctors might use this scale to assess its impact on the six major body systems. These regions include the chest, face, head, extremities, and abdominal components.
This scale is merely an example, but its comprehensive approach ensures that it accommodates all forms of injuries. For example, the scale captures the severity of burns and fractures on your femur or ribs. The scale also determines other factors such as mortality and hospital stay; hence, it directly affects your compensation.
Medical Expenses
The amount you incur getting medical attention also determines the compensation. Some of the common ways you can pay for healthcare include your own money, governmental programs, and private health insurance. Even after the government pays half of your medical bills through some standard programs, you still incur some costs.
Many expenses can make up the amount for which your claim compensates. For example, hospital bills may include laboratory, ambulance, surgery, and physical therapy fees. The amount of compensation may also vary depending on the prescribed physicians. Some injuries may require an emergency room physician only, while others need pain management, neurologists, or physiotherapists.
Prescription medication also makes up a considerable portion of the medical bill. For example, the hospital might give you a prescription that needs consistent renewal. Such expenses might come up while compiling your claim.
Future Expenses
Some injuries might heal while at the hospital, but others might take a while. Severe injuries that need surgery and therapy may last for months or years. You might still be in the healing process when you file for compensation. In such a case, you can include all the expenses you anticipate incurring in the future as a direct result of the injury.
This type of payment is essential in a claim since it helps fully repay the victims of an accident. For example, a patient requires treatment of pressure sores, bladder issues, bone density problems, and spasms when bedridden. These issues are an outcome of the initial injury; therefore, they require ongoing care, which the claimant must incur.
Missed Opportunities
One of the main inconveniences an injury cause is the distraction from your daily life. You divert your attention to seeking emergency medical care and therapy after that. Some accidents may also require you to take some time off from income-generating activities such as your job. Therefore, the law allows you to receive compensation for any missed opportunities.
The amount you receive might also vary depending on the pain, suffering, and inability to enjoy life like before. Most courts also construe physical and mental impairment as missed opportunities. Other common issues in this category include the loss of a spouse, companionship, and emotional distress resulting from the injuries.
Accurate valuation goes a long way in ensuring you receive fair compensation for your personal injury. At The Jaklitsch Law Group, we assist our clients in appraising their injuries and pursuing all legal avenues to ensure they receive fair compensation. Contact our team for an inquiry regarding your personal injury.
