A Los Angeles car accident lawyer calculates pain and suffering by totaling the value of your financial damages and assessing the overall impact they had on your life. On your own, it can be difficult to assign a specific dollar value to pain and suffering. A lawyer may explain the method they intend to use to value your pain and suffering, as this process varies based on the economic and other noneconomic damages you claim.
Pain and suffering from a car accident might affect you differently than it might affect other car accident victims. Your legal team might measure the extent of your pain and suffering by whether you lost the ability to engage in meaningful employment, activities you enjoyed before the accident, and enjoy your life in general.
Your Lawyer May Calculate Your Total Recoverable Damages After a Car Accident
In addition to pain and suffering, you might also receive financial compensation for additional noneconomic damages, like mental and emotional distress and loss of companionship. An accident attorney in Los Angeles from Jacoby & Meyers will establish the value of these intangible damages and fight to get you fairly compensated.
You might also recoup other expenses created by the accident. According to the California Civil Code (CIV) §1431.2, you might be eligible to recover these economic damages:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Past and future lost wages and income
- Physical disability or disfigurement
- Repairing or replacing damaged property
Economic damages may be simpler to prove and calculate. They usually involve adding the costs stated on receipts and bills for each line item. Your lawyer may help you calculate these expenses and the cost of economic damages later on, such as costs for future medical care or anticipated loss of income.
Your Crash Report Can Help Establish Your Pain and Suffering
If you were injured in a car accident in Los Angeles, the State of California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires you to complete a crash report within 10 days. Get a copy of your crash report as soon as it becomes available. Your crash report might have useful information that your lawyer can use to build your case.
It might help your lawyer contact the at-fault driver and their insurance company. It might tell your lawyer each vehicle’s area of impact and the severity or degree of any injuries. The crash report might also point to possible causes of the accident, including:
- Driving distractions
- Vehicle flaws or malfunctions
- Road, weather, and lighting conditions
- Alcohol or drug impairment
Your crash report might also indicate the type of crash of your accident. Do not overlook the value of your crash report in telling the story of your accident. It might have notes and diagrams from the investigating officer. Also, it can have other important data that can help prove the cause of the collision.
Your Pain and Suffering Has a Time Limit
Commonly known as the statute of limitations, the California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) §335.1 determines the length of time you must file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver who caused your accident. You generally have two years from the date of the accident. Failing to file on time might mean:
- You might not be allowed to file at all
- Your lawsuit will be dismissed without being heard
- The at-fault driver may not compensate you
Involving a lawyer in your car accident case early might help ensure you do not run out of time to file your lawsuit. Early involvement might also help avoid the possibility of your case’s dismissal. Your lawyer may use the date on your crash report to comply with the statute of limitations.
Assess the Value of Your Pain and Suffering
After you suffered injuries in a car accident, they may severely impact your physical ability. Your health care team can help you assess the extent of your physical damage. Your lawyer may help you assess the value of your physical damage.
How a car accident attorney in Los Angeles calculates pain and suffering after an accident can play a significant role in assessing the value of your case. To start discussing the damages you experienced in a car accident, contact the personal injury team at the Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices by calling 866-559-7223 today.