Personal Injury Blog

How do you put a price on something you can't see? That's the dilemma of determining how much money pain and suffering is worth in a personal injury settlement.

When you've been injured because of someone else's negligence, you have a right to seek compensation from the responsible party's insurance. If you can prove that an accident was really their policyholder's fault, the next step is to show how much money the accident cost you.

Those costs are called “damages” in a personal injury case.

Proving financial damages, for things like medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle repairs, is simple enough. It's just numbers. But a personal injury claim should also include compensation for your pain and suffering, which is different. 

If you want to get a settlement after being injured in an accident, there needs to be evidence of negligence to prove that the accident was someone's fault. Negligence has four elements: duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages.

Duty

Also called “duty of care”, this is a person's responsibility to “exercise reasonable care” and not injure someone.

Ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft have become very popular in recent years. Tap your phone a couple times and a car will show up wherever you are and take you anywhere you want to go. It's super convenient.

With so many rides happening, there are sure to be accidents. What if you're a passenger in an Uber or Lyft and are injured in an accident? Who pays for your medical bills?

Get Medical Treatment

Firstly, the most important thing to do following any injury is to get medical treatment. Even if you don't think you're seriously injured, you should still see a doctor. Often injuries to the body's soft tissue don't seem so bad at the time of the accident, but they get worse later. Failing to get treatment right after the accident can cause you more pain and a longer recovery time.

If you've been injured in a car accident that was someone else's fault, you should hire a car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Being injured in even a minor way makes for a difficult and stressful situation. Your health is the most important thing in the world. It's the one thing that, if you don't have it, nothing else matters. What good is money and the things it can buy if you're not physically well?

Getting healthy after being injured in a car accident is of the utmost importance. It could take multiple doctor's visits, physical therapy, and medication to do that. You'll need to get the insurance company of the driver that caused the accident to pay for your medical bills as well as reimburse you for pain and suffering and pay for repairs to your vehicle. 

Dealing with insurance companies and getting the results you need can be a challenge. You may not be able to get everything you're entitled to by working with them on your own. An attorney who's experienced with car accident and personal injury cases could help you get what you deserve. They will know how to establish negligence and document evidence that supports your case.