Five Things You're Not Sure About About Motor Vehicle Case
Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation in New York
You may be eligible to start a lawsuit if have suffered injuries as a result of an accident that New York considers serious. Your lawyer will tell you if your injuries exceed the threshold.
Insurance companies are adept in arguing over the magnitude of your losses. This can result in settlement offers that are not in the range of what you want.
Damages
If you've been injured in an automobile accident, you may be entitled to compensation. These damages are meant to pay for your expenses and losses, including medical bills or lost income as well as property damage. You may also receive compensation for suffering and pain. This type of compensation is more subjective and may be difficult to quantify. A competent lawyer for torts will help you obtain maximum damages for your injuries.
If, for example, you suffer an injury that results in permanent impairment of your arm or your leg it could be possible to receive compensation for future costs that are associated with the impairment. These could include surgeries and physical therapy and prosthetics, as well as equipment. In addition, a permanent loss of a limb or major disfigurement may result in a lifetime of emotional trauma and decreased enjoyment of life. This is known as mental anguish.
Insurers often try to reduce the value of non-economic damages which are intangible. However, a knowledgeable tort attorney at Morgan & Morgan can make sure you're awarded the full value of the general damages in your case.
Medical bills
When you are injured in a motor vehicle accident medical bills can mount up quickly. It is possible to feel overwhelmed by the bills particularly if still recovering from your injuries.
Luckily, there are several options for victims of car accidents can receive assistance in paying their medical expenses. In New York, all drivers are required to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP), which pays for the victim's initial medical expenses following an accident. PIP will also cover loss of income for up to 90 days if the victim of an accident is unable to work.
In addition to PIP and health insurance, a victim's insurance and Medicare could also cover their medical expenses. The only catch is that the patient must be able to prove the expenses are connected to the accident by providing medical bills and receipts.
Some hospitals and doctors may permit an accident victim to negotiate a payment arrangement in exchange for a lien on the victim's eventual personal injury settlement or verdict. These liens are also referred as hospital liens or medical liens. If you fail to settle these liens in the timeframe you have set, the debts may be transferred to collections. Victims may also seek compensation for the expense of mileage incurred when travel to and from medical appointments by keeping track and keeping their mileage receipts.
Lost wages
If you are unable to work because of an accident in your vehicle it can be extremely difficult to survive. Many Americans are living from paycheck to paycheck and losing a few weeks or months of wages can be devastating. Accident victims are typically successful in recovering lost wages by filing lawsuits for car accidents.
Typically, lost wage claims are calculated by determining the length of time that an injured person would have worked in the absence of their injuries. This could include missing shifts, overtime hours, and any work performed while in hospital. To prove loss of income the plaintiff needs to request documentation from the employer. This could include letters that verify the time spent away from work, as well as their hourly rate or salary. Pay stubs, or copies of the last tax return could be included in addition to other documents.
It is vital that the demand document be filed as soon as it is possible after a car accident. motor vehicle accident lawyer michigan who was injured can get the maximum benefit from their claim. In addition the evidence of the accident is more convincing if it is made available as quickly as is possible.
Pain and suffering
The physical pain and emotional trauma that can result from a car accident is difficult to place a value on. However, it is still important to seek out compensation for these damages in the case of your accident.
They are referred to as non-economic damage. They could include the costs of suffering and pain, loss of enjoyment of life Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more. These costs can be difficult to quantify as it can take some time to fully comprehend the impact of your injury.
Your lawyer can employ one of two methods to determine your pain and damages. The most commonly used is the multiplier method, where your entire economic damages are tallied--including the future and past medical bills or loss of income because of your injury, and property damage--and multiplied by a number ranging from 1.5 to 5. The higher the number, the more serious your injuries are deemed to be.
Another method to evaluate the extent of suffering and pain is to use a per diem basis. Your lawyer may request that the jury determine a dollar amount per day you continue to suffer. This is particularly helpful for those who work outside the home or have children to take care of as they recuperate.