Laws

Types of Special Damages in a Personal Injury Lawsuit

An accident can affect us in many ways, especially when it’s a serious accident. In most cases, you will find it hard to handle the legal stress. So, when you are filing a personal injury case, you need to be careful with everything. Readout this blog for types of special damages in a personal injury lawsuit.

The best way to file an accident claim is to get help from a personal injury lawyer. Make sure you are contacting a local accident law firm to get the best lawyer. From talking to the medical staff to facing the courtroom, he/she will help you throughout this situation. 

Not all types of damages are eligible for a personal injury claim. There are some special damages in a personal injury lawsuit. If you are not aware of them, we are here to help you out. 

In this article, you will know about these special damages. By knowing this, you will be able to handle the lawsuit well. Let’s find out.

1. Emergency Treatment

Emergency treatment cost is one of the special damages you need to claim. After the accidnect, you need an emergency transportation to the emergency room. If your injuries are serious, you need an essential ambulance transportation. An ambulance cost depends on the location and the service it provides.

However, a single ambulance can cost around $200 to $2000. The cost of ambulance transportation is increasing in recent days. Then comes the cost of emergency treatment cost. It depends on the intensity of the injury and prescribed treatment plan.

You may need various special treatments. If you don’t need emergency treatment, make sure you are visiting an urgent medical care centre. You can reduce the expensive cost of emergency treatment by doing it. 

2. Medical Expenses

Medical expenses can depend on the intensity of your accident. If you have a critical injury such as spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury, you have to spend a lot of time hospitalized after the emergency treatment.

Your medical expenses also depend on the location and the long-term impact. For example, recovering from a brain injury can cost around $80,000 to $3 million in the US. Similarly, a victim with spinal cord injury needs around $1 million to recover. This is why you need to keep all medical bills to file a personal injury claim.

3. Medical Imaging 

As we mentioned before, most victims suffer for medical expenses after the accident. Medical imaging is another type of special damage you need to check. When you are injured, the medical team will give you multiple scans and procedures. 

In fact, you need to do some essential procedures including MRI, CT scan, and X-ray throughout the recovery period. In fact, you need some surgical procedures in some cases. 

Most medical plans include regular monitoring and repeated testing. So, you can understand how costly the procedures can be. It can cost between $5000 to $50000.

4. Medical Therapy

Just like medical imaging, medical therapy cost is another special damages in a personal injury lawsuit. However, all accident cases don’t need medical therapies. Most accident victims, especially those who have broken bones or spinal cord injuries, need medical therapies to recover. 

Some patients need extensive therapy to go back to their normal life. On the other hand, some people need medical therapy to gain strength and restore flexibility. Some people need occasional therapy. 

Psychological therapy is also essential for some accident cases where the victim is suffering from post-accident trauma, anxiety, and emotional stress. Overall, no matter what kind of therapy you are getting, you need to mention them with evidence while filing the claim. 

5.  Additional Costs Related to Injuries

Besides medical-related expenses, there are various additional costs related to injuries. For example, some people need a permanent wheelchair which could cost between $3000 to $8000. 

Similarly, a wheelchair ramp needs widened doorway. This is a necessary thing, even when you are using a wheelchair temporarily. Widened doorways will help you by increasing accessibility.

There are various things you need to do depending on your injury. It could be upgrading your bathroom or buying a hospital bed. 

6. Lost Wages Due to The Accident

An accident not only affects a victim physically or emotionally but financially. After the accident, you will be unable to work for a long time. In fact, it happens in a minor accident. If you are not injured that much, you still need some time to do legal works including meeting a lawyer and the insurance company. 

On the other hand, when a victim is hospitalized, he/she can’t complete daily work tasks. Moreover, many victims can’t work due to pain and suffering. A person needs enough time to be recovered before going back to work. 

Conclusion

Finally, you know the types of special damages in a personal injury lawsuit. You can see you need to have a strong reason to file the lawsuit. If you are not comfortable enough to do it by yourself, make sure you are contacting a law firm. For more information related to this topic, you can start your research.

FAQs

Q: What are examples of special damages?

The most common examples of special damages are emergency treatment, medical expenses, property damage, loss of wages, loss of earning capacity, transportation costs, and additional costs.

Q: Is pain and suffering special damages?

Pain and suffering are more of general damage that is the primary cause of special damages. The type of special damages is medical expenses, loss of wages, and emergency treatment. 

Q: How can I prove my pain and suffering?

Nobody will help you until you prove your pain and suffering. The best way is to hire a personal injury lawyer. He/she will gather all valid evidence including medical bills, medical records, pictures of your injuries, and psychiatric records to prove it. 

Q: Can you sue for emotional pain and suffering?

Yes, you can sue someone for emotional pain and suffering. If you had an accident and it had affected you emotionally as well, gather all the evidence and file a claim. 

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