When you have been injured by an accident or incident caused by another party’s negligent or reckless actions, a personal injury lawyer may be able to help you get the financial compensation you are entitled to. Under the law, you may be able to recover compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.
Types of Injury Cases
There are many different types of accidents that can result in injuries to victims. The following accidents are some of the most common types of cases that personal injury law firms handle:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Mass transit accidents
- School bus accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Dog bites
- Premises liability
- Dangerous or defective products
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse and neglect cases
- Construction accidents
- Wrongful death cases
What Types of Damages Can I Collect?
There are three different types of damages a victim may be awarded: economic, noneconomic, and punitive.
Economic damages are those that have a definitive dollar amount attached to them. For example, medical expenses for an injury are one type of economic damage that a victim is entitled to. Any and all costs for past and future medical treatments, including doctor’s visits, surgery, medications, physical therapy, medical devices, and equipment, are all economic damages.
If an injury has caused a long-term or permanent disability that requires home or other types of accommodations, like a wheelchair ramp or widened doorways, these expenses may also be recoverable in a personal injury claim.
Loss of income is another economic damage that can be included. A victim may be compensated for the wages they lost from being unable to work, as well as future lost wages if they are permanently disabled.
Noneconomic damages are for losses that do not have an actual dollar value associated with them. Losses such as pain and suffering, emotional anguish, and the inability to do the activities the victim previously enjoyed could all fall under this category. Your personal injury lawyer can explain to you how monetary amounts for these types of damages may be calculated.
In some cases, such as a drunk driving accident or another type of incident where the at-fault party’s behavior went beyond just being negligent, the court will award the victim punitive damages. These types of damages are meant to punish the person responsible, as well as send a message to society in general that this type of behavior is unacceptable.
Contact a Personal Injury Law Firm Today
If you have been injured in an accident caused by another party, you may be entitled to financial compensation for the losses those injuries have caused. Many personal injury law firms offer free and confidential consultations. To learn more, call an experienced attorney, like an Ames, IA personal injury lawyer from a law firm like Des Moines Injury Law.