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What Types of Damages Can I Recover for My Personal Injuries?

Individuals experiencing injuries related to a car or truck accident often have questions about the nature and extent of damages to which they may be entitled.  Although the exact nature and extent of your injuries will largely determine the amount of damages you are awarded, there are several broad categories of damages to which most injured individuals are entitled.  These categories are discussed in more detail below.  If you or a loved one has been injured in a car or truck accident in Mississippi, Barrett Law PLLC, can help answer any of your questions about damages or other questions you might have.  We can be reached at (601) 790-1505.

There are two major types of damages—actual damages and general damages.  Actual damages include expenses and other costs that you incur as a result of a motor vehicle accident.  General damages include all other types of damages.

One of the most common categories of damages awarded to an individual injured in a car or truck accident is damages for medical expenses.  Even in a relatively minor accident, medical bills can quickly amount to thousands of dollars.  If you do not have medical insurance, or have high deductibles or co-pay rates, the expenses associated with your injury can be staggering.  Depending upon the limits of the policy of the individual at fault, as well as your policy, you are entitled to reimbursement for all of the medical expenses you incurred as a result of the accident.

Another common actual expense is loss of wages.  If you suffered any kind of injury that prevented you from working for a period of time, you can recover for this lost income.  Additionally, if your injuries are such that they will affect your ability to work into the future, you can seek damages for future lost wages.  Determining the amount of future lost wages you may be entitled to is not as simple and determining your current wages and calculating your current wages over a future period.  Considerations such as wage increases, number of years of future work, and the present cash value of those wages must be taken into consideration.  Often times, these calculations require hiring an expert.  If you are an individual facing significant future lost wages, you should retain an attorney.  You want to maximize your ability to recover, and knowing the right experts to rely on will help you do that.  After all, the insurance company will have plenty of experts in its corner.  You want the best ones it your corner.

You are also entitled to compensation for any property damages you incurred, which includes your vehicle and other items that may have been in your vehicle and were damaged or destroyed due to the accident.

With regard to general damages, one of the most common categories of damages awarded is for pain and suffering.  Obviously, the more severe and long-lasting your injury, the more damages you are likely to be awarded.  Severe injuries such as loss of limbs, paralysis, burns, and disfigurement will give rise to more significant awards.

Damages related to emotional distress and anguish as a result of the accident are another category of compensable damages.  Individuals frequently suffer psychological symptoms after an accident; the more severe the accident, the more severe the psychological symptoms usually are.  Common occurrences are depression and anxiety.  If you have suffered such symptoms, or other emotional or psychological distress, you may be able to recover damages related to this distress.  Damages related to treating such conditions, however, are recoverable as actual medical expenses.

Loss of consortium is another compensable loss.  Loss of consortium refers to any individual’s inability to engage in relationships with his or her loved one as before the accident.  If you have been or will be unable to engage in activities with your family that were a part of your life before the accident, you may be able to recover for the loss of this enjoyment of activity.  Loss of consortium damages typically encompass relationships with both a spouse and with children.

Barrett Law PLLC, represents individuals injured in motor vehicle accidents in the Lexington, Mississippi, area.  Jonathan Barrett has been fighting for the rights of the injured for years—let him fight for yours if you have been injured.   We can be reached at (601) 790-1505.

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Know Your Options in a Mississippi Hit and Run Car Accident

If you are involved in a Mississippi car crash, you may be overwhelmed with pain and anxiety. The aftermath of a Mississippi car accident can result in financial challenges and uncertainty about the future, especially if the personal injury victim suffers serious injuries that result in long-term or permanent loss of household income. If you or your loved one suffers catastrophic injuries that require lifelong supportive care, the financial implications for a family can be daunting. These issues are compounded when the negligent driver in your auto accident flees the scene of the accident. Hit and run auto accidents can leave an accident victim with the challenge of locating and identifying the other driver.

A driver who is involved in an auto accident in Mississippi that results in bodily injury is required to remain at the scene, exchange information and render aid. If the other driver fails to stop and render aid, the driver may be convicted of a felony. Our experienced Mississippi hit and run accident attorneys work closely with law enforcement to identify negligent drivers that cause serious injury or wrongful death to innocent accident victims. There are many ways that a thorough investigation can help identify a negligent driver in a Mississippi auto accident including interviewing witnesses to the accident, talking with homeowners and business owners n the area, reviewing surveillance footage from cameras on local business premises and other methods of investigation.

The attorneys at our Mississippi auto accident law firm also carefully investigate hit and run auto accident cases to identify other possible parties who may be liable for your accident including:

Public Entities: If the design or condition of the roadway contributed to your Mississippi car accident, the public entity responsible for making the roadway safe may share liability for your accident. The public entity may be a viable defendant when the negligent driver in a hit and run accident cannot be identified.

Automaker: Sometimes defects in your vehicle may contribute to your car accident making the manufacturer or retailer of the vehicle a responsible party in your auto accident. For example, faulty brakes, defective tires or other defects in the vehicle may be partially responsible for the accident.

Repair Shop: If you have recently had your vehicle serviced, the failure to do the repairs properly may also mean the repair shop shares liability for the accident.

Even if the only responsible party to your accident flees and cannot be identified, you may still be able to seek compensation from your own insurance company if you are injured in a hit and run accident. Because Mississippi is among the states with the most uninsured drivers, most insurance companies in Mississippi encourage drivers to get the minimum amount of uninsured motorist coverage (UM). If you have uninsured motorist coverage, it will provide compensation that you could have received from the other driver in the hit and run in a Mississippi personal injury lawsuit.

If you are seriously injured, UM coverage can protect your family from financial disaster following a serious auto accident so it is advisable to get the maximum UM coverage that you can. If you have multiple vehicles, Mississippi law even permits you to buy the maximum coverage on each vehicle and stack the coverage.

At the Barrett Law Office, our Mississippi accident attorneys represent those injured in serious car accidents with hit and run drivers throughout Mississippi. We offer a free initial consultation so if you have questions about UM coverage, hit and run accidents or any other car accident related issue in Mississippi call us at (662) 834-2376 so that we can answer your questions and advise you of your rights.

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