After someone is injured in a car accident, a personal injury lawsuit is concerned largely with reconstructing the accident and the moments immediately before it, in order to determine the truth of what happened and who was at fault. However, it’s also important for these cases to look at the future and how the effects of the accident will change the life of the injured and their families for the months and years ahead.
Recently, a Colerain high school football player was injured in a car accident. A news report provided no details of the accident, but noted how his teammates and coach had visited him in the hospital to show their support. The boy required surgery, but his coach said they were hopeful that he would make a full recovery.
When a negligent driver causes an accident that leaves another person injured, the injured may hold the negligent driver liable for their damages. These can include noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering, as well as more purely economic damages such as medical expenses and lost income during the time the injured person is unable to return to work.
One of the most important tasks in preparing a personal injury lawsuit is calculating the damages the injured person has suffered. It’s relatively easy to add up the medical bills the injured person incurred immediately after the accident, but to recover the full amount of compensation they need, the injured should also make an estimate of their future medical expenses related to the accident.
The injured should make similar calculations to project their future lost income. If an injury forces the person to miss two weeks of work, it’s relatively straightforward to calculate their lost earnings from that time period. But if they suffered a serious injury that will permanently affect their livelihood, their compensation package should take this into account as well.
In some cases, a promising young athlete may make a compelling case that his or her prospects for a lucrative career in sports were curtailed through the negligence of another driver. Often, a court will find such an argument too speculative.
An experienced personal injury attorney can help the injured and their families understand their options for recovering the full amount of compensation they deserve.
