Damages After an Accident
Damages after an accident are intended to compensate an injured person for losses legally caused by the incident. The categories available depend on the type of accident, the injuries, insurance arrangements and Pennsylvania law.
Economic damages can include reasonable medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, reduced future earning capacity and other measurable financial losses. Future losses may require medical or vocational evidence showing that treatment, care or work restrictions are likely to continue.
Economic and Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages can address the human effect of an injury, including pain, suffering and loss of life’s pleasures where recoverable. These losses do not come with invoices, so medical records, testimony and evidence showing how the injury changed everyday activities can be important.
Property damage may also form part of an accident claim, particularly after a motor vehicle collision. In a fatal accident, Pennsylvania law provides wrongful death and survival causes of action that can involve different losses and beneficiaries.
Documenting Accident Losses
The amount ultimately recoverable can be affected by comparative negligence, insurance limits and whether another party is legally responsible. Motor vehicle cases also involve Pennsylvania insurance rules that may affect certain claims.
Keep records from the beginning. Save medical bills, wage statements, receipts, photographs, repair estimates and correspondence from insurers. A personal injury lawyer can identify which categories of damages may apply and help document them. Compensation is case-specific, so an assessment should be based on evidence of the actual losses rather than a generic multiplier or online calculator.