When deciding whether to sue for an injury caused by another’s carelessness, the first question people usually ask is “What is my case worth?”The answer depends on what kind of damages were caused by the other party’s negligence. Some damages that are recoverable are easy to see. If you are injured by someone else’s negligence, you can recover the cost of repairing or replacing your car and the cost of your medical bills related to the accident. You can also recover any lost wages because of time you missed from work due to your injuries.
The damages that may be re covered in a negligence lawsuit suit include almost every kind of damage that is caused by the negligence.
Other kinds of damages are harder to see. lf you have been hurt, you can usually recover something for the “pain and suffering” caused by the injury. You can also recover for things that are likely to happen in the future because of the injury you have suffered. An example would be any permanent disfigurement or any ongoing impairment caused by the injury that is serious enough to permanently affect your ability to lead your life or earn a living.
If the lingering effects of your injury mean that you cannot perforrn form the same work or play the same recreational sports you did before being injured, this ongoing loss should be compensable, even though the amount of the loss is often hard to accurately estimate.
Your spouse and family may also be entitled to recover monetary damages because of the injury you suffered. If your injury prevents you from performing the “household services” you would have otherwise done, such as cleaning the house or mowing the lawn, these losses are worth something. So are the emotional damages to your relationship with your family caused by your injury. These damages are called a “loss of consortium.”
In short, the damages that may be recovered in a negligence lawsuit include almost every kind of damage that is caused by the negligence. If you have any questions about whether you can recover for an injury you have suffered, please contact us. Every case is fact-specific, and we would be happy to discuss your situation with you.