By their very nature, car accidents are unintentional. They do not generally involve one driver’s intent to harm another. Rather, they’re typically caused by factors such as texting, speeding, and blind spots. Compensation for Hanover car crash injuries is designed to make injured claimants ‘whole’ after a crash, not punish negligent drivers.
You’re generally entitled to demand any financial damages necessary to put you back into the position you would have been in if the crash hadn’t occurred. With the right Hanover car accident lawyer from Shollenberger Januzzi & Wolfe, LLP on your side, this could be more than you think.
Compensatory Car Crash Damages
Because personal injury damages are designed to compensate you for your losses, the extent of your vehicle damage, injuries, and lost income generally determines the amount of compensation you’re entitled to recover. In most traffic accident cases, you can recover the following compensatory damages.
Medical Expenses
Most personal injury claimants in Hanover can demand the value of all past and future medical expenses. Medical compensation commonly includes awards for the following:
- Surgeries
- Hospital stays
- Doctors’ bills
- Professional nursing costs
- Massage and chiropractic care
- Cosmetic procedures
- Dentists
- Physical rehabilitation
- Therapy
- Medications
- Medical equipment
Additionally, claimants might request compensation for medical transportation, household help, and even medical home modifications.
Because many victims of serious car accidents sustain life-altering injuries such as brain trauma, paralysis, and burns, reputable car accident law firms retain medical and economic experts to calculate the value of your future medical needs. This allows personal injury attorneys to settle or litigate accident claims for their fair value.
Lost Wages and Benefits
If your car accident injuries caused you to lose income, including wages or business profits, you can demand the value of your losses. Experienced attorneys might also request compensation for any lost workplace benefits, promotional opportunities, retirement contributions, and even earning capacity. This means you might obtain the difference between your pre-accident salary working in the field and your post-accident salary working light duty.
Pain and Suffering (Non-Economic Damages)
Pennsylvania recognizes that the lost enjoyment of life, physical pain, frustration, and emotional suffering associated with serious car accident injuries are often worse than the injuries themselves. You are entitled to demand pain and suffering damages, and your spouse might even claim non-economic damages for lost spousal aid and companionship. These are called loss of consortium claims in Hanover.
Special Cases Involving Non-Compensatory (Punitive) Damages
Punitive damages are designed to punish offenders for especially reckless and criminal conduct. They are not generally available in car accident cases because these typically involve general negligence claims. However, experienced accident injury litigators might demand these damages directly from drivers who engaged in criminal conduct – including drunk driving. Only a dedicated car crash attorney can determine whether these special damages may be available in your case.
Retain a Lawyer to Maximize Your Hanover Car Accident Compensation
Car accident victims who retain legal counsel generally obtain substantially higher personal injury settlements and damages. Discuss the value of your car crash injury claims with the dedicated Hanover traffic accident lawyers at Shollenberger Januzzi & Wolfe, LLP, by calling 717-229-6580 or contacting us online.