If you’re the victim of a car accident, then you’ll want to seek compensation for the damages caused by another driver’s negligence.
Even if you’re an extremely safe driver, you can still get into a wreck as a result of another driver’s actions. Not only is this frustrating to deal with, but it can cause several complications for your life.
Because of this, you’re entitled to receive reparations for the damage you’ve been inflicted with. To begin this, you’ll need to put together your demand package.
It’s critical to understand what compensation you’re eligible for so that you include everything in your demand package. To simplify this, we’ll cover the most important costs to remember below.
Property Damage
The first thing you can seek compensation for is any damage to your property.
There are two components to this; damage to your vehicle and any belongings inside your car that get broken.
Damage to your vehicle is fairly straightforward and is one of the more obvious costs you can recoup. When another driver damages your car in a crash, you’ll need to seek repairs and this is not something you’re liable to pay for.
After a crash, the extent of damage to your car will be assessed. Your car will either be deemed repairable or considered totaled.
If your car is repairable, then the other driver’s insurance should cover the full cost. On the other hand, a totaled car will mean that you are given the cash value of your vehicle before the accident.
In addition to car damage, your belongings are also covered in a crash. Imagine having possessions like a laptop, phone, or tablet that gets destroyed.
These items would not be broken if not for the crash, so a driver that causes a crash is on the hook for replacing them.
Medical Bills
One of the largest costs associated with a serious car accident is bills for medical services.
Fairly minor car accidents don’t always result in injuries, but more severe crashes often do. This can include anything from a broken leg to something more drastic like a spinal cord injury.
Anytime you feel discomfort after an accident, it’s a good idea to get checked out by a doctor. This visit is going to cost you and there will be additional fees should you need treatment.
Even if you have health insurance, it may not fully cover all of your treatment. It’s usually up to the other driver’s insurance to pay for your medical bills, but this may not be enough if you have a particularly costly injury.
Because of this, medical bills are a significant cost that you can file a lawsuit for. Medical bills can be crippling and there’s no need for you to get saddled with this, especially when you didn’t cause the accident.
If you seek any treatment following a car accident, make sure to keep track of any receipts and hang on to all documentation. You’ll need it later on when you go to determine how much compensation you want to ask for.
Lost Income
You can also include lost wages in your demand package.
Depending on the extent of your accident, you might not be able to work immediately afterward. You may sustain injuries that limit your mobility and prevent you from working.
Even something non-demanding like an office job may not be doable if you have injuries that make sitting painful. As a result, you won’t be able to show up and fulfill your duties.
This means that you won’t be earning a paycheck. If this persists for several weeks, then your employer may not have the flexibility to keep you employed.
With this in mind, a car accident can certainly cause you to lose income. Because the accident is the fault of another driver, this isn’t a loss that you should just write off.
Instead, make sure to include calculations for lost income in your compensation demands. Factor in how much you’ve lost in weekly wages and consider how much you’ll lose going forward.
Pain and Suffering
Another major factor to consider is pain and suffering.
Unlike your medical bills, this amount is not easily quantifiable. Medical expenses have an exact cost, which means you have a figure that you can use.
On the other hand, pain and suffering does not. You might seek treatment like physical therapy and massage, but this is not the full extent of your pain and suffering.
When you get into an accident that causes significant injury, you’re likely to experience long-lasting pain. This will also lead to suffering.
Your pain and suffering is directly caused by being in a crash, so it’s another cost that the other driver needs to cover.
Evaluating how much you should ask for is where things get tricky. It’s hard to assign a monetary value to something like pain and suffering. This brings up the question of how much is your suffering worth?
This depends on the extent of your situation and it will vary from case to case. A good lawyer can help you determine what your specific circumstances are worth.
Transportation Costs
As a final cost that you should include in your demand package, make sure to keep track of transportation expenses.
This includes anything you pay for transportation immediately after a crash and in the weeks that follow. Picture costs like a tow-truck, rideshare services, and a rental car.
An accident typically means that your car won’t be immediately usable. You’ll still need to get around, so there will inevitably be costs associated with this.
Many insurance companies cover these costs, but matters get trickier when you have something like a lengthy car rental.
In this situation, the other driver’s insurance may not fully cover your rental. If this happens, you’ll want to make sure that you are compensated for anything you paid out of pocket.
Closing Thoughts
While you certainly don’t want to be the victim of a car accident, the silver lining is that you’re eligible for compensation for your losses. This helps to make up for the expenses and hassle you incur as a result of another driver hitting you.
When creating your demand package, you should factor in all relevant costs. A few to remember include property damage, medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and transportation costs.
Evaluating how much you’re entitled to is a tricky matter and you don’t want to sell yourself short. Find a good car accident lawyer to help ensure that you get every dime you deserve!
