Suffering from an injury, especially a severe and unexpected one, can be a devastating experience. Knowing how to handle this kind of situation can be difficult and overwhelming for almost anyone. During this time, it’s important to understand that, if you have been injured because of another person’s negligence, you can take action by seeking compensation from that them. The advice of an injury lawyer is usually essential if you choose to pursue an injury compensation claim, but a broad understanding of this compensation is a good starting point for deciding what your options are.
Understanding Special Damages & General Damages
General damages are one type of compensation that you can seek following an injury. General damages account for changes and lost opportunities in your life that resulted from the injury. Wages lost because of work missed are covered, and if your injury rendered you unfit to perform your job, the wages that will be lost in the future can also be claimed. Loss of pension can be accounted for, as well. When you enlist the services of a good injury lawyer, you may even receive injury compensation for future promotions that you probably would have received without the injury. General damages also cover changes in your quality of life. These include pain and suffering, whether physical or emotional, and forced changes in lifestyle or recreation. For instance, if you are no longer able to engage in a hobby or perform basic daily tasks, this loss may be covered under general damages.
Special damages, meanwhile, cover the tangible costs that resulted from an injury. These include hospital bills, prescription costs, and assisted care or rehabilitation costs. Even expenses like transportation to the hospital can be covered under special damages injury compensation. Any other damage that occurred at the time of the accident, like your car being damaged in a crash, can also be claimed under special damages. In the event of a fatal accident, the family of the victim may seek compensation for funeral expenses under special damages.
Improving The Likelihood Of Claim Success
When making a claim for either general damages or special damages, it is important to keep a solid record of your expenses and lifestyle changes. For injury compensation that falls under special damages, you should hold onto proof of everything from medical bills to car repair costs. This can help expedite the compensation process and prevent it from turning into a drawn-out fight. For some general damages claims, it is important to be able to furnish existing documentation that shows your typical wages, your job responsibilities, or anything else that can demonstrate what your injury cost you professionally. A doctor’s evaluation showing that you are unfit to perform a certain type of work or certain tasks can also be valuable in a general damages claim.
In some cases, it is possible to make a successful injury compensation claim without the help of an injury lawyer. However, the likelihood of the claim getting approved quickly, or at all, may be drastically reduced. It’s important to recognise that the injury claim and compensation process can be complicated and lengthy. It’s critical to make your claim as early as possible, both to stay within the legal time limits for making a claim and to expedite the process. Hiring an injury lawyer can also help you ensure a faster, more favourable resolution of your claim.
The legal advice of an expert is often essential when you are making an injury compensation claim. Some people who handle the claims process alone may not make the claim correctly, understand what they are entitled to, or provide adequate documentation. Other people who see their claims resolved might accept compensation that is far less than what they could have received with using an injury lawyer. Speaking with an experienced solicitor can help you make an informed decision and maximise the compensation that you ultimately receive.