Suffering a personal injury can have devastating consequences on your life. Whether you were in a car accident, a truck accident, an accident at work, or another type of incident, it’s likely that you have physical injuries you’re trying to heal from. But, additionally, you may be facing invisible injuries that can have significant impacts on your mental health and wellbeing. These types of injuries are typically referred to as pain and suffering, and you’re actually able to collect compensation for damages.
You may be wondering, though, how exactly are these types of damages calculated in a personal injury case? Keep reading to find out what factors into this calculation and how a personal injury attorney could help.
Understanding the Average Personal Injury Case
It’s important to remember that every personal injury case is going to be a little different. The type of injury suffered is particularly important, and more severe injuries will allow you to claim higher damages. Unsurprisingly, more serious injuries will typically result in more pain and suffering, and the damages should be higher to cover the offsetting costs.
There are three distinct ways to calculate damage amounts.
#1 Converting Special Damages
A personal injury can result in a number of special damages including medical expenses, cost of prescription medication, any lost wages suffered, and other injury-related bills. By converting these special damages into more general damages, you can more easily claim specific amounts. For example, if you used to cook for yourself everyday and now are unable to do so, you can claim the amount it now costs for you to eat out more. However, if these general damages are not clearly related to your actual injury, you cannot claim them.
#2 Multipliers
You can also take the total amount of special damages and multiply it by a specific multiplier. Usually falling between 1 and 5, the multiplier is a number based on many different factors, including the injury type. Consult your personal injury attorney to get a better idea on how to calculate this.
#3 Per Diem
Much like using a multiplier, the per diem method also multiples your special damages by a specific amount. However, the damages are calculated based on the cost to you over each individual day. Multiplied by the number of days you have been affected by the injury including both past and future dates. Calculated life expectancy plays a role during this process.
Call Attorney Robert White After an Injury
You have to remember that the insurance company is not on your side. They will often try exploiting every legal loophole to deny you fair compensation, but that does not mean you cannot fight back. Braker White has been fighting to get Texans the settlements they deserve for decades, and their legal team can help you, too. Give us a call or fill out the online form to get started on your free case review today!