The emotional and physical pain injured victims endure after a car accident can be life-altering. At Thomas, Conrad & Conrad Law Offices, our car accident lawyers in the Lehigh Valley have decades of experience calculating and obtaining compensation for injured victims in eastern Pennsylvania. We understand that although no amount of money can change what happened, recovering pain and suffering damages can help give victims some sense of justice and hold negligent parties accountable.
What Are Pain and Suffering Damages?
Pain and suffering damages are non-economic damages intended to compensate a victim for the physical and emotional distress caused by an injury. Unlike economic damages such as medical expenses, pain and suffering damages address the subjective, intangible aspects of the harm suffered by an injured party. Accurate calculation of pain and suffering damages requires the knowledge of an experienced car accident lawyer, as these damages are challenging to quantify in monetary terms.
What Is Considered Pain and Suffering?
Pain and suffering include the actual physical discomfort that someone has experienced due to injuries sustained in an accident. This includes both short-term and chronic pain. Another type of compensation that could be considered part of pain and suffering is emotional distress, which is the psychological impact an injury has on someone. Common conditions that may result in emotional distress damages include PTSD, anxiety, depression, fear, stress, and other mental or emotional conditions.
How Do Car Accident Attorneys Pursue Pain and Suffering Damages?
To recover pain and suffering damages in a car accident lawsuit, you must show how your injuries have impacted your daily life and physical and mental health. Some evidence that personal injury attorneys often use to demonstrate pain and suffering include:
- Medical records – A car accident lawyer will gather medical records that detail the extent and severity of a victim’s injuries. Medical records also provide evidence of all treatment the victim has received, including hospital stays, surgeries, rehabilitation, medications, and psychotherapy.
- Expert testimony – A personal injury attorney also may consult with medical experts who discuss the long-term impact of a person’s injury and how it impacts their health and lifestyle.
- Pain journals – After an accident, keeping a daily journal that documents your physical pain, discomfort, and emotional upset is vital. This journal can be a crucial piece of evidence that demonstrates the short- and long-term effects of your injuries.
- Witness statements – Statements from those who observed your pain and suffering at the accident scene, treating medical professionals, and friends and family who’ve seen what you’ve been through during the recovery process can provide crucial evidence that backs up your car accident lawsuit or claim.
- Loss of enjoyment – A car accident attorney also may show evidence of how your injuries and pain and suffering have diminished your quality of life and compromised your ability to engage in activities you once enjoyed. For example, if you were a marathon runner who became paralyzed in a tractor-trailer crash, your personal injury attorney can use this information to demonstrate loss of enjoyment.
- Psychological evaluations – When emotional distress is a significant component of pain and suffering damages, your auto accident lawyer may ask you to undergo a psychological evaluation to establish the impact the crash and your injuries have had on your mental health.
How to Protect Your Rights and Interests After a Car Accident
If you’ve been hurt in a collision, it’s vital to take certain steps that can help prove pain and suffering in a car accident lawsuit or claim. Seek medical attention as soon as possible and follow all treatment recommendations from health care providers. Keep a journal that documents your physical and mental condition daily. At the scene of the crash, take photos, gather contact information from witnesses, and write down or record everything you can remember about what happened. This also provides valuable evidence your car accident attorney may use later.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney
Regardless of whether you believe your injuries are serious or minor, it’s also essential to seek the counsel of an experienced personal injury lawyer. A car accident lawyer can evaluate your case and advise you of your options for recovering compensation. Although you can pursue a claim on your own, having an attorney in your corner greatly increases your chances of recovering the full amount of compensation you need and deserve. A skilled car accident lawyer knows how to accurately calculate all the damages you may be entitled to receive. They will investigate your case, gather evidence, and tie it all together to demonstrate why you are entitled to pain and suffering and any other damages that might be relevant to your circumstances.
Schedule a Consultation With a Car Accident Lawyer in the Lehigh Valley
At Thomas, Conrad & Conrad Law Offices, we’re dedicated to helping make things right for injured victims and their families. Our team includes some of the best car accident attorneys in eastern Pennsylvania. To schedule a consultation today with a personal injury attorney in the Lehigh Valley, contact us or call us at 610-867-2900. We offer several locations for your convenience.