If someone’s disregard injured you and you want to explore a legal case, do yourself a favor and learn the intricacies of personal injury law. For instance, the law recognizes major personal injuries and minor personal injuries. Jason Stone Injury Lawyers believes in empowering clients, which means arming you with facts about major personal injuries, so you make enlightened choices about your rights.
Examples of Major Personal Injuries
After learning someone’s negligence harmed you, you may feel all your injuries qualify as major personal injuries. The law classifies injuries like dismemberment, permanent injury, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and loss of bodily function as major personal injuries. If you suffered a soft tissue injury to your tendons, muscles or ligaments, then you suffered a minor personal injury.
Plaintiffs with severe personal injuries may not return to work for an extended time, or they may never work again. Those who return to the office may work in a reduced capacity because of their injury. Major personal injuries may rob victims of the ability to enjoy life or their favorite pastimes.
Traumatic Brain Injury
An unexpected jolt, blow or bump to the head could cause traumatic brain injuries, which range from mild to severe. Brain injuries impair focus, memory, coordination, balance, hearing and movement. A TBI patient may also experience depression, anxiety or moodiness.
Personal injury victims who suffer a brain injury could require considerable occupational and physical therapy. Depending on their loved ones’ ability to care for them, TBI patients may move into a personal care facility or a nursing home.
Spinal Cord Injury
When a personal injury victim suffers a complete spinal cord injury, she or he cannot feel or move anything below the point of injury. Incomplete spinal cord injuries leave victims with some sensation and movement. Someone with a spinal cord injury may require a power chair to get around. Depending on the harm endured, spinal cord injury patients may need to modify their cars and homes, which could increase the desired claim settlement amount.
Economic & Non-Economic Damages for Major Personal Injuries
The more severe the personal injury, the more legal damages plaintiffs may seek. The court classifies economic damages as quantifiable, tangible damages and non-economic damages as financial compensation for non-financial losses stemming from a personal injury.
Economic Damages
Examples of economic damages include medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity and out-of-pocket expenses. Medical expenses include injury treatment, hospital stays, ambulance rides, nursing services and medication. When major personal injuries leave victims unable to work, they may request economic damages to make up for lost wages. A traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury or something similar could rob someone of the ability to earn a living, not just force the person to take off work for a few weeks or months. Loss of earning capacity damages compensate the plaintiff for the misfortune. Major personal injury victims could qualify for future medical expenses damages, which account for further medical treatments the person needs.
No matter which economic damages personal injury victims qualify for, they need solid proof to show they need and deserve the amount they seek from the at-fault party. Courts usually ask plaintiffs for medical bills, pay stubs and expense receipts to show how much they spent on medical care and how much they stand to lose in wages because of their injuries. Those who include future medical expenses as part of their settlement often depend on their treating physician to provide a testimony to prove they qualify for damages.
Non-Economic Damages
Prevalent examples of non-economic damages in personal injury cases range from emotional anguish, pain, reputational damage and humiliation to loss of enjoyment of activities. Depending on the state, the law may refer to non-economic damages as pain and suffering.
Some major personal injuries leave victims in ongoing, considerable pain, even while receiving medical treatments. Rather than physical pain, a plaintiff could experience emotional and mental pain. For example, severe harm could trigger panic attacks, bouts of restlessness, nightmares, depression and anxiousness. Some personal injury plaintiffs receive a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder because of their ordeal. PTSD may manifest as an inability to get in a car or drive after a motor vehicle accident. No matter if a person experiences physical anguish or emotional anguish, she or he may qualify for non-economic damages.
Reasons To Work With a Legal Professional After Major Personal Injuries
If you suffered a major personal injury and feel you have a strong case against the at-fault party, you may not see the need to hire a law firm to handle your case. You have medical bills, images of the accident site and more solid evidence, so what can an attorney do for you that you cannot do for yourself when you have such an undeniable compensation claim? No matter the strength of your claim, you deserve the right legal help in your corner if you want to recover fair and full damages.
The Details
One reason to let a legal representative take over your case is that experienced lawyers know how to focus on the details and which details to concentrate on. While you may have evidence, that does not mean you have the right evidence. Rather than waste time or fret unnecessarily, let your legal team decide what proof to focus on while you recover.
The Negotiations
You may communicate with the at-fault party’s insurance provider about securing a settlement. You may not realize it, but insurance companies often protect themselves and their bottom line by making pitiful settlement offers that seem fair. Attorneys know how providers try to out-maneuver and outsmart personal injury victims, and they know how to look out for their clients. Instead of speaking with an insurance representative alone, which could harm your case, let your legal advocate handle all communications for you.
The Errors
To stand the most favorable chance of winning your claim and receiving compensation, you must purge your claim of mistakes. Saying the wrong thing or letting a deadline come and go could complicate your case.
The Worth
Another reason to hire a personal injury lawyer is to have a full picture of your claim’s value. Medical bills, auto repair shop bills and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses may not tell the full story of your case’s worth. You could qualify for non-economic damages, and your case could involve multiple at-fault parties, both of which affect your case’s value.
Depending on the responsible party’s actions before and during the personal injury, you may qualify for punitive damages. Punitive damages act as a punishment and warning for others who could engage in the same reckless actions as the defendant.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
No matter if you suffered a major or minor personal injury, you deserve access to trusted legal help. Jason Stone Injury Lawyers wants to help you recover emotionally, physically and financially and get back to your pre-accident life. Our Stone Cold Guarantee gives you the peace of mind of knowing you do not owe us anything if we do not win your case. To learn more about your rights and start building your case, pick up the phone today and call 800-577-5188. There’s No Obligation, Just Information (R).
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