What do you lose when you are injured in a vehicular accident?

In most civil wrongs, the aim of compensation is to make the injured party “whole again.” This means that a claim for personal injury is predicated on the assumption that if an injured party wins, either by settlement or by civil action, his or her loss will be compensated or set off monetarily.

Becoming “whole again” is actually more of a legal fiction rather than a tangible reality. The monetary compensation is the closest one can get to becoming “whole” again, because after the accident, it will never be the same again for most victims.

No one wants to get injured in a car accident. No one wants to undergo the pain and suffering of medical treatment. The inconvenience alone must be worth time and money, especially if the victim is employed. That is why the law on torts has provided for several remedies against a guilty party in cases of accidents.

In this light, it is now important to note the typical types of damages a person is entitled to if he or she is injured in an auto crash.

1. Medical Expenses. The most common form of compensation is for reimbursement of medical expenses incurred because of the injury suffered. This may even be actual or future, if the injury is so serious it has debilitated the victim and may need continued medical treatment. Every conceivable cost of medical treatment is included here.

2. Lost Wages/Income. When you get injured, chances are you may be unable to go to work. And because of this, you are entitled to recover lost income while injured. Even if you are unemployed at the time of the accident, you can show that you could have worked during the time of the injury.

3. Loss of Earning Capacity. There are a whole lot of injuries you can suffer because of an accident. Some of these may permanently impair your ability to work, some temporarily. You may lose some motor skills due to the accident and if you could show that these skills are important in your profession, then you can recover compensation for loss of earning capacity.

4. Suffering and Pain. No one is required to undergo so much pain and suffering because of injuries resulting from an accident. That is why you are entitled to damages for physical pain and for your suffering.

There are other damages that can be recovered because of an injury in a car accident. For more information, you should consult a lawyer. There are many lawyers and firms that handle accident cases and they will be in a position to tell you what damages are you entitled to, depending on the circumstances of the accident and the extent of your injury.