We see TV shows and movies where people collect millions of dollars in car accident cases. They walk into the courtroom wearing a neck brace and the jury awards them a ton of money. You’ve probably asked yourself how they got so much money when they were hardly injured.
The standard answer is that they received millions in pain and suffering. And, yes, there is such thing as pain and suffering. However, except in rare cases, they don’t add up to millions of dollars. For the most part, pain and suffering is just a way to compensate you for the pain and anxiety caused by a car accident.
Not all accidents involve pain and suffering. It’s not something that’s automatically given to you as a plaintiff. You have to actually prove your pain and suffering. It’s no different from other kinds of damages. If you’re hurt in a car accident, you need to contact a Greenville car accident lawyer.
What Types of Damages Can Greenville Car Accident Attorneys Demand?
In a car accident case, there are several types of damages that Greenville car accident attorneys demand. Most of these have to do with your injuries. The most common types of damages include:
- Medical bills – You are entitled to recover any medical bills caused by the accident. This could include your hospital visit and the tests they perform. It also includes doctor visits and physical therapy. It may include out of pocket costs for prescriptions. Also, it can also include any future medical bills you may incur. Your car accident lawyer will have s testify as to how much these future medical bills may be.
- Lost wages – Chances are, if you’re in a car accident, you’re going to miss time from work. If this is more than a couple of weeks, you should be entitled to recover these wages. Your lawyer will submit time sheets and even tax returns to show what you would have earned had it not been for the car accident.
- Property damage – If your car is damaged or destroyed in the accident, you can demand that you be reimbursed for this. If this is covered by your insurance claim, you can’t demand that the defendant reimburse you for this as well.
- Pain and Suffering – These are the non-economic types of damages. It includes the pain and anxiety caused by the accident. Your lawyer will have to prove these separately in court.
Greenville car accident attorneys will have to prove all of your damages. Rather than do this in court, they’ll try to settle your claim out of court.
How Will Your South Carolina Car Accident Attorney Prove Pain and Suffering?
It’s easy to prove things like medical bills and lost wages. You can just submit proof of what these things cost you. Usually, these things aren’t heavily disputed at trial. Unless there is a question as to what caused your injuries, your lawyer will be able to prove these things.
Proving pain and suffering is another issue altogether. Because you can’t provide a receipt for these things, it’s really up to the jury to decide how much you’re entitled to. Your lawyer can ask for any amount he wants. It doesn’t mean he’ll get it.
Some of the things a jury considers when determining pain and suffering includes:
- The severity of the accident
- How long was your recovery time?
- Are you able to do your favorite sports and hobbies?
- Can you still take care of your family?
- Were you treated for anxiety or depression?
- Are you permanently disabled as a result of the accident?
All of these things are taken into account when determining pain and suffering. Juries are usually pretty fair when it comes to this. Unless they doubt your injuries and pain, they should award a fair amount in pain and suffering. Since lawyers know this, they’ll use this to try to negotiate a high out of court settlement on your behalf.
Contact a South Carolina Car Accident Lawyer Now
If you’re injured in a car accident, you need to contact a South Carolina car accident lawyer today. You don’t want to try to handle this yourself. If your injuries were pretty serious, you may be entitled to pain and suffering. You want an experienced attorney handling this for you.
Call and schedule your initial consultation today. It is absolutely free to meet with a lawyer to discuss your case. And, you pay nothing until you win!
