Compensation Following A Car Accident, Truck Accident Or Motorcycle Accident

 

If you were injured in a car accident, a truck accident or a motorcycle accident you may be entitled to receive compensation from those who were at fault. The compensation you might be entitled to depend upon the kind of damages you experienced because of the accident or injury. To get an idea of the compensation you might be entitled to it is imperative that you contact you Amarillo personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after the accident.  Once your lawyer has a chance to review your case, he or she will be able to discuss with you the types of damages for which legal recovery is possible.  This article provides a listing of some of the possible types of legal compensation available to a plaintiff in a personal injury case. Remember that an experienced Amarillo personal injury lawyer familiar with your case will be able to explain your options, and will work to ensure that you receive all compensation to which you are entitled under the law.

 

Types of legal compensation

 

The range of possibilities of legal compensations can be very confusing.  Below is a list of possible types of legal compensation and a brief explanation of each.  This list is not intended to be a complete list of possible compensations and the definitions are general in nature.  Only your Amarillo personal injury lawyer will be able to determine and discuss with you which of these possible types of compensation might be applicable to your specific case.

 

Medical Expenses - Bills and expenses for medical services such as doctors, hospital stays, emergency room treatment, ambulance fees, and nursing services. A plaintiff must show that the expenses are related to medical conditions resulting from his or her injury.

 

Future Medical Expenses - This type of recovery is permitted if the plaintiff proves that he or she will need continued medical care as a result of the accident or injury. The proof must be sufficient for the jury to make an approximate estimate of the cost, i.e. through the medical opinion of a treating doctor.

 

Household Services - The cost of hiring somebody to do things around the house while the plaintiff is recuperating from an accident or injury, provided that the expense would not have been incurred had the plaintiff not been injured. These kinds of damages are sometimes included as part of medical expenses.

 

Lost Wages - These damages represent the amount of money a plaintiff would have earned -- from the time of the injury to the date of settlement or judgment. An unemployed person may be permitted to recover lost wages if he or she can prove what could have been earned during the same period.

 

Lost Earning Capacity - After an accident or injury, these damages may be recovered if the plaintiff proves that his or her ability to earn money in the future has been impaired or diminished by the injuries. Factors that help determine whether an award should be made include the plaintiff's age, health, life expectancy, occupation, talents, skill, experience, and training. Past earnings are a factor in determining the appropriate amount of compensation for lost earning capacity, but the claim really focuses on what might have been earned were it not for the accident or injury.

 

Permanent Disability - These damages are best proved by medical testimony, and ordinarily a doctor must examine a plaintiff claiming permanent disability.

 

Loss of Consortium - Deprivation of the benefits of married life after an accident or injury -- affection, solace, comfort, companionship, society, help and assistance, and sexual relations between spouses. Usually the uninjured spouse makes the claim and his or her financial recovery will depend on whether the injured spouse recovers any damages. In some cases, the injured person will make the claim as well. A value is placed on this loss by considering the couple's individual life expectancies, whether the marriage was stable, how much care and companionship was bestowed upon the uninjured spouse (or vice versa), and the extent to which the benefits of married life have been lost.

 

Loss of Society and Companionship - In wrongful death cases, loss of society and companionship damages represent the positive benefits flowing from the love, comfort, companionship, and closeness that the plaintiff(s) (immediate family members) would have enjoyed had the decedent lived. A jury considers evidence that a harmonious relationship existed between the plaintiff and the decedent, their living arrangements, common interests and activities, and whether the decedent and plaintiff were separated for extended periods. See "loss of consortium" and "loss of consortium of a child."

 

Mental Anguish - Any mental suffering or emotional distress associated with an accident or injury, including fright, terror, apprehension, nervousness, anxiety, worry, humiliation, mortification, feeling of lost dignity, embarrassment, grief, and shock.

 

Disfigurement - When an accident or injury has left a person deformed or disfigured, the injured person may be able to collect damages for any mental suffering that arises due to awareness of the disfigurement. These damages are sometimes included as an element of other types of damages, such as mental anguish.

 

Pain and Suffering - An award for past and future physical pain in connection with an accident or injury. To place a monetary value on pain and suffering, the jury considers the nature of the injury, the certainty of future pain, its severity, and how long the plaintiff is likely to be in pain. Some states allow the jury to assume that if a bodily injury has occurred there has been some pain and suffering, and some require that the plaintiff be conscious for some time period during the injury.

 

Loss of Enjoyment of Life - A diminished ability to enjoy the day-to-day pleasures of life, "loss of enjoyment" is usually an item of general damages, meaning there is no precise way to place a monetary value on it. Some states treat it as a form of pain and suffering, others treat it as a distinct kind of damage in an accident or injury case.

 

Special Damages - This is a general category of damages that covers all monetary losses, including medical expenses after an accident or injury. Recovery requires detailed proof that the losses were sustained, and a showing of how much money was involved.

 

Call your Amarillo personal injury lawyer right away

 

When the unexpected happens and you need an experienced professional Amarillo personal injury lawyer you know you can count on Bill Cornett.  For well over 45 years, Amarillo attorney William (Bill) Cornett has been there to help in an uncertain time.  If you need him, Bill is there. Car, truck and motorcycle accidents often result in serious physical injury and property damage. If you are involved in a car, truck or motorcycle accident where the other driver was at fault, you may be entitled to damages -- financial compensation for physical, emotional, and/or financial losses resulting from the accident. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a car, truck or motorcycle accident; you should consider having an attorney evaluate your claim. There is no obligation, and the consultation could make all the difference in whether you collect on your claim.

 

Your most important action may end up being the phone call that you make to your Amarillo personal injury lawyer.  In the Texas Panhandle that call should be to Amarillo personal injury lawyer Bill Cornett.  Bill has dealt with nearly every type of car accident during his 45+ years in practice.  Be safe and be smart…remember these phone numbers (806) 374-9498 or (800) 658-6618.

 

Put Cornett Law Firm’s 45 years of experience to work for you

 

Bill Cornett, Amarillo Attorney, with Cornett Law Firm offers affordable, qualified services as an experienced personal injury lawyer, probate attorney, family law attorney, criminal law attorney, DWI attorney and divorce attorney. Bill also has experience in estate planning and agriculture law. Sit down with Bill at his office located at 612 S. Van Buren St. in Amarillo TX by calling (806) 374-9498 or (800) 658-6618 TODAY to schedule a free consultation.

 

Bill Cornett recently handled a commercial truck accident case where a rear wheel came off a moving trailer which resulted in a $1,400,000 recovery for his clients.  The case was settled when an expert witness was produced that proved negligence on the part of the defendants.  This was a tragic case that resulted in a large settlement which was deserved by the clients. Let Bill Cornett go to work for you to make sure you get the settlement you deserve.