Transcript:
An injured person is entitled to be put as close as possible to the position that her or she would have been in had the car wreck not occurred. We call this being “made whole.” Because no court has a time machine, the only way to do make someone whole is through money damages.
Recovery in a personal injury case can be divided into two categories of damages: Special damages and general damages. Special damages are the types of damages that come with a receipt, like medical bills, lost wages, and prescription drug costs. General damages are awarded for the level of pain and suffering that has been endured by the injured person.
As mentioned, the principal types of special damages are medical bills and lost wages. Recovery for medical bills includes all bills and fees associated with treatment for the injury. Also, injured persons are entitled to recover the value associated with future medical procedures. So for example, the cost of an upcoming surgery.
If the injured person has had to take time off of work, then he or she is entitled to the lost pay. Also, if the injured person had to switch to a different position or task, this can also be a source of recovery.
With regard to general damages, these are going to be a measure of how much the injury has affected the person’s life. As you can guess, a severe disability will have a greater recovery value than a simple soft tissue injury. Sometimes, the injury can prevent the person from obtaining certain jobs or achieving life goals. For example, a knee injury that keeps a marathon runner from competing in the future. The value of that claim will be higher than an injury that does not have the same lasting effect.
If you or a loved one have been involved in a car accident and you do not know what you might be entitled to, it is important that you call and speak to one of our experienced Atlanta personal injury lawyers today.
