Recoverable Damages After an East Los Angeles Car Accident

Any vehicle accident, regardless of how severe it initially seems, could leave an individual or family struggling to pay their hospital bills and other expenses for years. Additionally, the emotional aftermath of a crash can often feel insurmountable, requiring a lifestyle change and years of therapy sessions.

Thankfully, if you find yourself in this situation, a dedicated car accident attorney could help you understand your options and file your personal injury claim for compensation. There are many kinds of recoverable damages after an East Los Angeles car accident, and our hardworking team could determine exactly how they apply to your case.

What are the Different Categories of Car Accident Damages?

Generally speaking, there are three different kinds of financial compensation that a vehicle crash plaintiff could collect. Economic, non-economic, and punitive damages all reimburse for different kinds of car accident losses, as a knowledgeable representative in East Los Angeles could explain.

Economic damages, in most cases, repay an injured driver for losses with an easily established financial value. For instance, these reimbursements could help someone handle their hospital bills, lost wages at work, future medical expenses, or the cost of paying for their damaged car. Meanwhile, non-economic compensation repays wounded drivers for more subjective, harder to quantify setbacks. Common examples include coverage for intense physical pain, severe emotional suffering, lasting anxiety, grief, and humiliation. Non-economic damages can be somewhat difficult to understand, but a well-practiced attorney could factor these into any vehicle wreck case.

Finally, punitive damages apply to some but not all car accident claims. Generally speaking, this compensation intends to punish a defendant for their reckless, intentional, or grossly negligent conduct. Examples of behavior that would warrant a punitive damage award include drinking and driving, fleeing from an officer, running a red light and fatally striking a pedestrian, or driving a stolen vehicle. Not all automobile cases warrant punitive compensation, but our legal advocates could assess a claimant’s situation and decide whether to pursue this option.

Calculating Damages in a Car Accident Case

When it comes to recovering damages in car accident cases, it is also crucial to remember that local laws do not cap or limit the maximum available compensation. This gives an injured driver all the more reason to work with a seasoned lawyer in East Los Angeles, someone who could fight for a substantial and comprehensive award after an unexpected car accident.

While determining economic damages is usually as straightforward as analyzing hospital bills, vehicle repair invoices, or accident reconstruction reports, non-economic damages are usually calculated by a jury. During this process, a resourceful representative could implement a formula to transparently demonstrate how much their client should be repaid for their pain, suffering, and emotional trauma.

How do Insurance Policies Relate to a Damage Award?

Since state laws do not cap financial compensation, a final determination is usually bound by the level and nature of a defendant’s insurance policy. For instance, when a negligent driver does not have extensive coverage, financial compensation might be limited to the extent of this policy and whatever else the defendant could pay out of pocket. However, in some situations, a tenacious attorney could pressure an insurance company to open up the policy limits. For instance, submitting a particular kind of demand could significantly increase the monetary damages that a car accident plaintiff in East Los Angeles ends up collecting.

Call an Attorney about Recoverable Damages After an East Los Angeles Car Accident

If you were involved in an unexpected car wreck, dealing with the nuances of financial compensation is likely one of the very last things that you want to worry about. However, it is important to remember that proactive action and working with the right people could boost the success of your case.

When you proceed alone, you run the risk of not collecting the full of extent of repayments you deserve. Therefore, for help with recoverable damages after an East Los Angeles car accident, do not hesitate to retain the services of a skilled legal professional. Call today to get started on your case.