3 Types of Compensation You Can Claim After A Car Accident

Getting injured in a car accident isn’t something everyone looks forward to. Depending on the degree or extent of injuries sustained, the aftermath could change your life forever. 

For instance, you may have to stop working to recover and, in turn, lose wages. You may also have to max out your savings to cover medical expenses, leaving you in a financial sinkhole.

This is where filing a car accident claim enters the picture. It refers to a legal dispute whereby an injured victim can seek compensation for their injuries due to a car accident. When you’re compensated, you can have the financial resources you need to maintain your recovery plan and get a semblance of normalcy back in your life. 

Motorists can claim several types of compensation after a collision, usually through insurance claims. It’s why getting coverage is so important, and why it’s even required among drivers in many states and countries. 

So, what types of compensation can you get? Here are three of the most common ones you can and should claim.  

1. Economic Damages 

This involves compensation for all the financial losses you’ve incurred due to someone else’s negligent driving. Since they’re easy to calculate, economic damages are the primary basis of most car accident claims.  

You can claim compensation for the following economic damages:

• Medical bills: If you’ve suffered injuries from the accident, medical expenses quickly pile up as you pay for all the medication, treatments, and procedures. You can file a claim to recover some of what you’ve lost due to these costs. This way, you don’t risk discontinuing your care plan and getting into worse medical situations.  
• Lost wages: If you’ve sustained head trauma or broken limbs, you will be advised to take some time off work to ensure your recovery. Consequently, you’ll lose a considerable portion of your income and your capacity to earn a living for the time being. In worse cases, you may be permanently disabled. Filing a claim is a reasonable way to soften the blow of losing wages.  
• Property damage: If the car accident was due to another person’s fault, their insurance should pay for the damage to your vehicle. However, if the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance, you can have the option to file a claim with your insurance company to obtain compensation for the property damage.  

Getting compensation for economic damages is the logical course of action in the wake of an accident. But most people find this part tricky. Most insurance policies uphold highly specific terms that leave some policyholders confused about what gets covered. The worst-case scenario is when damages do deserve coverage, but the insurance provider doesn’t provide the proper compensation.

To avoid such problems, you can get support from legal professionals specializing in vehicular accidents. An experienced car accident lawyer in Seattle can help you work out your terms and defend your claim.

2. Non-Economic Damages 

Non-economic damages are another type of compensation you can receive after a car accident. They’re non-financial losses you receive due to the collision. These include: 

• Pain
• Emotional distress
• Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD 
• Disfigurement

If you’ve experienced any of these circumstances, you may be entitled to recover compensation after a car collision. However, it’s essential to know that non-economic damages can be harder to quantify compared to economic damages.

Fortunately, you can seek legal assistance from a lawyer to help you with the calculation. Given their experience and expertise in personal injury law, they can assist you in determining how much you claim based on certain factors, such as the severity of your injuries and the level of fault the other party has.  

3. Punitive Damages 

Depending on your circumstances, you may also get compensation for punitive damages. Although they’re rare in car accident cases, they may still be granted when the court finds the at-fault driver’s conduct particularly irresponsible. 

For example, if you’ve been involved in a car accident due to someone who was drunk driving, the latter may be required to pay punitive damages to discourage them from repeating this behavior ever again. 

The likelihood of getting punitive damages as part of the compensation will depend on your state laws. You can get clarifications from a car accident lawyer on this.  

Get The Support You Deserve  

Dealing with car accident injuries is never easy. Aside from the physical and mental baggage, you also have to juggle practical concerns, like payments. Thankfully, filing a car accident claim should be able to cover most of your problems. Keep the information above in mind if you’ve been injured in a car crash. This way, you’ll have a good idea of what to expect and do when hiccups arise.