When a person is injured in an accident or incident caused by the negligent, reckless, or intentional actions of another party, Virginia law says they can file a personal injury claim for financial compensation for those injuries. This compensation is often referred to as “damages.” The purpose of these damages is to make the victim “whole” again after the injury. The law says this can be done by removing the financial burdens and emotional burdens the injuries have caused the victim.
Damages can be awarded for many different types of expenses the victim has incurred because of the injury, as well as for future expenses that the injuries may cause.
In many personal injury cases, damages are awarded for past expenses the injury caused, such as expenses for medical treatment and loss of wages the victim sustained from being unable to work while they recovered. These types of damages have an exact dollar amount that the victim’s Virginia personal injury attorney can show.
Future Damages
There is another type of damage that a victim may be entitled to collect which may not be as easy to calculate. This type of damage is for future losses and expenses the victim may suffer because of their injuries. Victims who have suffered a catastrophic injury or one that has left them with long-term or permanent disabilities often face years of recovery and ongoing medical treatments.
Pursuing future damages in a personal injury claim will not only cover these future medical expenses, but the victim’s attorney can also recover the loss of future income the victim will suffer because they are no longer able to work in their prior profession or they may be physically unable to work at all.
Many victims are also able to collect future damages for the pain and suffering, scarring, or disfigurement they will endure for the rest of their lives.
Calculating future damages can be complex and requires the skill and experience of a professional Virginia accident attorney. In many situations, the attorney will work with an accountant or other financial experts to project what those future medical expenses and lost income will be, as well as the financial value of pain and suffering.
Each type of future damage is calculated differently and uses different factors to determine the final dollar amount the victim deserves. In Part II, we will examine how your Virginia personal injury attorney will calculate those amounts.
Contact a Virginia Personal Injury Attorney
If you have suffered injuries in an accident caused by another party, contact a Virginia personal injury attorney to find out what legal options you may have. At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we are dedicated to helping injured clients obtain the compensation they deserve for their medical bills, lost income, and other losses their injuries have caused, like the $50,000 personal injury insurance settlement we obtained for one client who suffered chronic shoulder and neck pain when another driver pulled out in front of his vehicle. Call our office today to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation.
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- How Long Do Personal Injury Cases Last?
- Medical Evidence Can Make a Major Difference in Your Personal Injury Case
- Calculating Future Damages in a Virginia Personal Injury Claim – Part II