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Addressing pain and suffering after a Virginia car accident
The steps that a person takes following a car accident in Northern Virginia depend upon many factors. One such factor is whether the auto accident was a single-vehicle incident, an event involving two or more cars or an accident involving car and a pedestrian. If an accident involved more than one party, it is extremely important to determine if the collision was caused by negligence or recklessness. If so, the injured party may be able to move forward with a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.
In such a suit, the harmed party is likely to seek compensation for medical expenses and, in the event of a fatal accident, funeral costs. Compensation may also entail lost wages if the injured party was put out of work as the result of an accident, or if a deceased victim was the breadwinner for a family. However, there may also be other kinds of damages available in compensation.
The law recognizes that, in addition to physical injuries after a wreck, there may be intangible harm done as well. Various terms may be used to acknowledge these intangible damages, such as loss of consortium or emotional distress. For instance, the spouse of a driver killed in a deadly accident is very likely to experience both the loss of a life companion as well as extreme emotional distress. Those who have been directly affected by such harm may be able to obtain compensation for some, but not all, of their damages.
Making matters even more complicated is the fact that noneconomic harm must be compensated in a way that is economic. However, putting a dollar amount on the emotional trauma of losing a loved one, for example, is far from easy. Unlike a deceased victim’s wages, the non-tangible harm doesn’t have an exact market value that can be used to determine compensation.
As its name indicates, pain and suffering after a car crash can be an extremely difficult topic to confront, let alone bring up in court. Car accident victims or their family members may want to seek advice regarding the proper steps to take.
