If you have been injured after a car crash due to the fault of someone else, you may be entitled to compensation for damages. They may include medical bills, lost wages, and other rehabilitation costs. Accident victims may have the legal right to file a car accident claim for three types of personal injury damages such as:
- Economic damages
- Non-economic damages
- Punitive damages Economic damages may include medical bills, and lost wages, whereas non-economic damages may include pain and suffering. Punitive damages are aimed to punish the at-fault party for their reckless behavior. When you work with an insurance company, you must understand the types of damages that you can pursue. You can hire an experienced car accident lawyer in Queens who can help navigate the legal process thereby ensuring the best possible outcome.
Understanding Lawsuit Damages: Economic, Non-Economic, and Punitive
In New York, personal injury cases involve three kinds of damages. They are discussed as follows:
- Economic Damages:
- These damages include the tangible costs or damages that are countable such as lost wages and medical bills.
- Non-Economic Damages:
- These damages are difficult to pursue as they cannot be estimated as economic damages. An example of non-economic damages is pain and suffering that has diminished your quality of life.
- Punitive Damages:
- These types of damages are not meant to compensate the victim but these are awarded for the careless behavior of the at-fault party such as drunken driving cases Among all the three damages, economic damages are easy to calculate when the victim has sustained physical injuries from a slip and fall or after a car crash as the expenses may simply include medical expenses and rehabilitation costs.
How Much Can Someone Sue For a Car Accident in New York?
No time has been put on the compensation that a victim may recover for the injuries in New York. It means that accident victims may recover financial losses due to the injuries and other damages.
How to Determine Compensation?
It is a complex task to determine compensation as the legal system is complex. Therefore, you need the help of an experienced accident attorney who can guide you on getting fair compensation even for your non-economic damages. Some factors that play a fundamental role in determining compensation are:
- The severity of the injuries
- The age at which the injury happened
- Whether an injury has resulted in permanent injury An attorney may guide you on how to proceed with the accident claim procedure so that you can get maximum benefits and fair compensation.