WHAT COUNTS AS PAIN AND SUFFERING IN A CONNECTICUT ACCIDENT?
Pain and suffering refers to the physical pain and psychological and/or emotional distress a person may experience as a result of personal injury. This can refer to actual pain from the injury, as well as other forms of distress, such as psychological trauma, anxiety, and shame.
Unlike costs that you can assign a dollar amount, such as medical expenses or lost wages, costs related to mental health are more abstract. This can make calculating a settlement dollar amount for pain and suffering costs more tricky.
Compensation for pain and suffering is often sought in cases where a person has experienced significant distress as a result of an accident.
Types of personal injury cases that may award compensation for pain and suffering include:
- car accident
- motorcycle accident
- bicycle accident
- slip-and-fall
- medical malpractice
- workplace injury
- animal bite
- dangerous drugs
AVERAGE PAIN AND SUFFERING SETTLEMENT
Our personal injury lawyers often get questions about the average dollar value of pain and suffering costs in personal injury cases. The truth is that the average value can vary depending on the circumstances of the case.
Giving an ‘average’ settlement amount means understanding the type of accident you’ve experienced, your losses, and other factors related to your injury. The amount of compensation you can get for pain and suffering may also depend on where you live in the United States.
Some states have laws that place caps on how much money plaintiffs can receive for non-economic damages like pain and suffering. These types of damages are calculated differently than physical injuries, like whiplash or other back injuries. The term ‘damages’ is a legal term that refers to injury-related losses.
Examples of economic damages, also known as general damages, include:
- ambulance costs
- medical bills
- physical rehabilitation
- counseling costs
- medical equipment
- home accommodations (e.g. for permanent injury/disability)
- lost wages
- job loss
- motor vehicle repair costs and other property damage
Examples of non-economic damages (special damages) include:
- mental anguish
- loss of consortium/companionship
- reduced quality of life
- disability
- disfigurement
- loss of eyesight or hearing
- loss of enjoyment of life
PROVING PAIN AND SUFFERING IN CONNECTICUT
Understanding how pain and suffering damages are calculated will not be enough to ensure you receive a fair settlement offer.
One of the challenges of getting compensation for pain and suffering is collecting proof. An experienced Connecticut personal injury attorney can help you with this. They can work with you to gather the evidence to prove your losses and prevent an insurance company from denying your claim.
Your lawyer may request certain forms of documentation to help prove your case. These could include photos of the accident and personal communications that demonstrate your distress. Examples of this might be a personal journal or blog.
Other people close to the plaintiff, such as family and friends, may also be able to provide accounts of how the injury has affected the plaintiff’s life, including their mood, job, and relationships.
Attorney Keith Anthony has the experience that you need and expect your personal injury lawyer to have. In the United States, our legal system is somewhat fluid. You can rest assured that Attorney Keith Anthony stays current on new developments in tort law, and how they affect your interests. When you need an attorney who will fight for your compensation, with experience and skill, you need Attorney Keith Anthony.
Please note: This article is for general information purposes only and is not meant to be construed as legal advice. Only an attorney licensed in your state can offer you legal advice, and only after talking with you and gathering specific information about your situation. If, after reading the general information in this article, you think that you need legal assistance, please contact a lawyer in your area for legal advice.
