If you were asked to place a monetary value on a particular personal injury lawsuit, you’d start with the victim’s medical expenses. If the injury happened in an auto accident, you’d include vehicle repair or replacement costs. If the victim became unable to work for a length of time, you’d want to include lost wages. Sum up those costs, and most people would consider that figure a sufficient personal injury award. Most people, however, would be wrong. In a personal injury claim, you can’t simply crunch the numbers in front of you; important and somewhat hidden factors can be overlooked by that approach.
Let’s say that you’re a tough, “macho” guy who doesn’t talk much and doesn’t complain about pain. You’re in a serious accident, but your sprained wrist has healed and your insurance has covered the immediate damages. Several weeks later, you start experiencing serious back pain, and you have to start missing work. A good personal injury lawyer will know that if the injuries are documented and the crash was serious enough, a client will often suffer from latent or hidden injuries. Sometimes an attorney has to aggressively question his or her own client to elicit the genuine nature and extent of the injuries. Many people are private by nature. We don’t like to share our weaknesses and limitations.
Nevertheless, plaintiffs in personal injury cases need to be entirely honest and transparent with their attorneys and with medical professionals as well; a doctor can’t document your injury unless you say something about it, and even an experienced personal injury attorney can’t use evidence if you don’t offer it. If you suffer a personal injury as the result of another person’s negligence, you may be able to recover not only your medical expenses and lost wages; in some cases, pain and suffering damages and even punitive damages may be awarded. A good personal injury lawyer can assess your case and advise you regarding the right legal action. Should your case go to trial, an experienced personal injury attorney will fight aggressively for every cent of compensation you deserve. If you’re injured, don’t hesitate to speak up. Make the call to a good personal injury lawyer right away.