If you are able to win your lawsuit, you can claim damages which act as compensation for your injuries and pay for your loss of wages that you have not been able to earn due to your pain and inability to work and also for your medical bills.
If any sort of harm or damage has been inflicted upon you as a result of an automobile accident, you can hire a car accident attorney to file a personal injury lawsuit against the delinquent who caused it. If you are able to win your lawsuit, you can claim damages which act as compensation for your injuries and pay for your loss of wages that you have not been able to earn due to your pain and inability to work and also for your medical bills. Punitive damages can punish the negligent driver further due to his carelessness in disobeying traffic rules. The damages that you can achieve through this lawsuit are:
Compensatory Damages
Your car accident attorney can recover these damages for payments of past and future economic losses which include medical expenses and loss of income. Also, it acts as compensation for general damages like suffering, mental anguish and pain. Although, it is the jury who decides on the sum of damages that you are to be awarded, some states limit the sum of money that a person can be awarded on filing the lawsuit in court.
Comparative Fault
If you are an inhabitant of a state that has rules underlying comparative fault or negligence, the jury or judge will calculate your recovery and your share of the fault in the automobile accident. Under this rule of comparative fault, the damages that you can recover will decrease but will not eliminate wholly due to your contributory negligence. This term means that your negligence was also partly responsible in causing the accident. Your car accident lawyer can help you in this regard by gathering evidence that supports you and reducing your percentage of fault in the case.
Punitive Or Exemplary Damages
In addition to the basic awards that you will get for your compensation for your injuries and expenses, you might also be given punitive or exemplary damages, especially if your case is strengthened by the presence of a professional car accident lawyer. These are kept in place to further penalize the person who is at fault for their lack of responsibility and to deter them from committing the same mistake repeatedly. Any misconduct that surpasses basic negligence can be held liable for these damages. Such conduct could be classified as vindictive, willful, malicious, reckless or wanton. Some of the cases in which the driver is held responsible for punitive damages include violation of traffic or safety laws, excessive speed, driver incompetence, intoxication and the knowledge that the vehicle’s deteriorated condition could potentially cause an accident.
Anyone who has been named in the lawsuit which includes people apart from the driver who caused the immediate collision is also held liable to pay these punitive damages. These parties include government agencies, vehicle manufacturers, utility companies and many others.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident contact the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann. Our legal team has a strong history of helping car accident victims get the medical attention and financial compensation that they need. Call us today at (314) 361-4300 for a free consultation.
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