Damages in personal injury law refer to the compensation an injured victim can get for their losses and injury. They include medical expenses, emotional injuries, lost wages, and property damage. Also, they can include the future costs you may incur due to your accident-related injury.
A personal injury claim is meant to make you whole again after you sustained an injury caused by a negligent party. You may need to pursue damages, so you can fully and fairly recover. An experienced Correll Law Firm personal injury attorney can help you seek the amount of damages you deserve.
Examples of Future Damages
These damages are compensable losses you may sustain in the months or years after a serious accident that injured you. They are common in cases that involve serious or catastrophic injuries like spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries. In such cases, you may sustain long-term impacts and the costs associated with your medical treatment. Future damages you can try to recover through a personal injury claim include future medical bills, lifelong medical care, future pain and emotional suffering, disability-related home modifications, future loss of quality of life, and future lost wages.
Your attorney will discuss the future damages you can recover. They know they need these damages, so you get the compensation you need for paying your bills and moving forward in the future.
Calculating Future Damages
To calculate future damages, a judge or jury must analyze the seriousness of your injury, how long it will take to recover from it, whether you need ongoing medical treatment, and the effect of your injury on your life in the months and years to come.
Because future damages have not taken place, current bills and receipts are used to project future calculations. Generally, you must multiply your existing damages by the amount of time you may suffer from your injury. Your lawyer can help you calculate an accurate amount and prove future damages.
Proving Future Damages
When you file a personal injury claim, you must prove your past and future losses. To make future damages available, you should prove there is a reasonable apprehension of your injury or future expenses because of the negligent action of the at-fault party or their omission. To establish reasonable apprehension, you must need evidence including your medical records, medical expert testimony, letters from your treating physician, and others. Typically, testimony from experts is the strongest type of evidence you can use to support a claim for future damage.