There are many direct expenses that are forced upon the victims of car crashes. From medical bills and lost wages to property damage and additional child care services, a traffic collision can quickly eat into your life savings. But one aspect of a car crash that has no direct cost that the victim must pay, yet could potentially be the most valuable part of their claim, is pain and suffering. Pain and suffering is a term used to describe a myriad of damages, which are outlined below.
- Physical Pain—The physical pain that a car collision victim goes through can be extreme, not to mention the pains that they experience in the hospital after surgeries, and the agony at home weeks later that may require prescription pain medications to manage.
- Mental and Emotional Suffering—Quite often, physical pain is not the worst part of a traumatic traffic collision. The mental distress, emotional distress, and ongoing depression that are sure to come are even more difficult to cope with. Examples of mental or emotional suffering include Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), loss of joy of life, emotional distress, anxiety, shock, anger, depression, and much more.
How Are Pain and Suffering Calculated in My Personal Injury Claim?
There is no easy way to put a number on the pain and suffering that you have been through, and may still be going through today. For car crash victims that lose a leg, or never regain full cognitive ability due to a traumatic brain injury, will $100,000 make it all better?
A million dollars? Is there any amount of money that will make your agony okay? The answer is: likely not. However, it is still important to come up with a number, and this number is usually based on the cost of your medical bills, multiplied between one and five. For a minor injury that does not result in serious pain, disability, or scarring, a 1.5 multiplier may be used. For example, if your total medical bills amounted to $10,000, your pain and suffering would by $15,000 (10,000 x 1.5=15,000). For a serious injury that resulted in permanent disfigurement and/or loss of use of an arm, for example, the pain and suffering aspect of your damages would be a much higher percentage.
For example, using the five multipliers, it could be expected that the pain and suffering part of your claim would be worth $500,000 if your medical bills totaled $100,000. For a case of quadriplegia, the first year of care costs alone can total one million dollars, and pain and suffering costs for this type of injury may be beyond the multiplier method. Whether you receive full pain and suffering damages depends on how successfully your Kansas City Car Accident attorney can argue your case, and the insurance policy of the negligent party.
Contact the Krause & Kinsman Law Firm Today
Car crash victims deserve to be fully compensated for their damages. This includes medical costs, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. To ensure that you get what you deserve, call the Kansas City car accident lawyers at the Krause & Kinsman Law Firm today at 816-399-3356 to schedule a free case evaluation.
