Know What You're Owed: Personal Injury Claims

When you get injured in a car accident, you may only be focusing on recovering and getting your life back to normal again. You likely have a vague idea about getting money from the at fault driver's insurance agency, but have no idea how much you could be entitled to receive. If you don't know what you deserve, you are not likely to get it. Read on to learn more about what you are owed as a result of your injury. 

The term "damages" can be confusing; it does not refer only to the damage your vehicle suffered, but this term refers to a wide range of negative effects of the accident. The goal of compensation is to make you "whole" again, which can be construed to mean awarding you enough money to help put the pieces of your life back together again. There are several main areas of damages that you need to know about.

Medical expenses. This is usually an immediate concern, and you will want to seek medical attention even if the accident seemed to be relatively minor. Some injuries take more time to become apparent, but be sure not to hesitate to get treatment and to keep good records of all of your medical-related expenses. Even if you use your own funds or your own health insurance, you have a right to be reimbursed.

This category includes expenses related to hospitalization, tests, medications, doctors visits, physical therapy, home care, and much more. If you need it to get your health back to the level it was before your accident, it should be covered. As a side note, this coverage extends to any mental health care you need to help deal with anxiety, PTSD, depression, and other emotional issues that were caused by the accident.

Car repair/replacement and personal property. This is one of the most commonly known of damage categories, and the other guy's insurance must pay for either the repair of your car or give you enough to buy another one. Any personal property lost in the accident should be listed on your claim as well: child car seats, cell phones, and other property that was damaged or lost as a result of the wreck..

Lost wages. If you are too hurt to work, you have a right to be compensated for your lost wages. Even if you had to use your sick days or vacation perks, you still can expect to be paid for that damage.

Other damages. If you suffered other less-common damages, such as missing a planned vacation with a non-refundable deposit, you can also expect to be compensated.

To get more detailed information about what type of damages you can expect from your personal injury claim, speak to n attorney like those at Powers Law.