Exploring Social Security Cases and Outcomes

4 Things To Know About Pain And Suffering Damages

by Marie Caldwell

If you have been involved in a personal injury, chances are you have a personal injury case on your hands. What this means is that you are able to receive compensation for your medical bills along with other damages, such as pain and suffering. However, not many people understand what pain and suffering damages are, which often means that they are losing out on compensation that they deserve because they are not accounting for this. Here are four things that should be known about pain and suffering damages:

  1. ​Compensation for What Cannot be Paid With Money: When you receive pain and suffering compensation, it's awarded with money even though it can necessarily resolve the problem. However, it can help you get through the pain and suffering endured. This includes things, such as dealing with emotional trauma from the accident or possibly the psychological damages of being put out of work because of your injuries. 
  2. Pain and Suffering is Made Up of Two Parts: One thing to note is that pain and suffering is made up of two parts. This includes dealing with physical pain, which is often rewarded with a higher amount simply because it can more easily be measured. The other part is mental, which isn't as easy to measure, so it receives the lesser amount for compensation. 
  3. Rewarded to the Pain and Suffering of the Deceased: If you had a loved one who passed in a personal injury case, you can also receive compensation for their experiences with pain and suffering before they passed. For example, if your loved one was in the hospital for a number of days after the accident before passing, then there is a high reward for the pain and suffering they had to endure during this time. 
  4. There Might be a Cap: In some states, you cannot be rewarded over a certain amount for pain and suffering, which is why it's extremely important to hire a personal injury lawyer so that they can be sure that you receive the highest amount possible since it may be that you actually deserve more, but the cap is restricting it. Know what this cap is and work with your lawyer to determine what evidence you need to prove you deserve the full amount.

When you know these four things about pain and suffering damages in a personal injury case, you can be sure that you better understand why you should fight for compensation for this. 

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