Once you have received the immediate medical treatment you need after a car crash, the reality that you will be off work for months or longer recovering from your injuries without any income may sink in. The next burning question could be how to pay for your expensive medical treatments and how to replace the wages you have lost and will lose. Fortunately, you may be able to make the negligent driver who caused your collision pay for these losses and more.
Types of Compensation You Could Be Entitled to in a Texas Car Accident Case
You need to understand the types of compensation you could recover to know what your case is worth and also to collect the documentation you will need to prove that you really are entitled to the amount you are requesting. Damages that are recoverable in these cases include:
Medical expenses.
This includes the bills you incur for doctors, hospital stays, ambulance, chiropractors, and physical, cognitive or mental health therapists. Expenses you may not think of are travel and lodging expenses if you must travel for medical care, assistive tools like crutches, wheelchair, or shower or toilet special seats, and in-home medical and non-medical care.
Lost wages.
Your lost wage claim includes much more than the back pay and future wages you will have lost. Be certain to include any commissions, profit sharing, benefits, vacation and sick time, and other perks of your job that you are missing out on. If you are unable to return to your former job or are permanently disabled due to your injuries, you could be entitled to damages for your lost earning capacity to compensate you for the long-term losses you will suffer.
Personal property damage.
This includes the cost to repair your vehicle, towing costs, car rental fees, and replacement or repair costs for property in your vehicle.
Pain and suffering.
You are entitled to compensation for the physical pain and emotional—or psychological—distress caused by your injuries. How insurance adjusters calculate these damages can be complicated, and you need an experienced car crash attorney who can help you value these more intangible but very real injuries.
Loss of enjoyment.
These damages compensate you for the loss of enjoyment in the day-to-day activities—such as hobbies, recreational activities, interests, friends, and family—that you can no longer enjoy due to the long-term consequences of your injuries.
Loss of consortium.
If your injuries affect your level of affection, intimacy, or sexual relationship with your spouse, you could be entitled to damages for these losses.
Wrongful death.
If a close family member died as a result of the crash, family members could receive compensation for their losses—including loss of the enjoyment of the accident victim—through filing a wrongful death action against the negligent driver.
Have You Been Injured In A Texas Car Accident?
If you've been hurt in a Texas car accident you need to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our Colleyville office directly at 817.485.8888 to schedule your free consultation.