If you are involved in an accident that was caused by another person’s carelessness, you may experience both suffering and money troubles. Personal injury lawyers are important in Phoenix, as they assist accident victims in these turbulent times. They make sure that you receive adequate compensation for your injuries and loss.
Personal injuries are not always straightforward since the losses people sustain may include medical bills, or wages lost, or even emotional problems. This article describes how injury attorneys determine the amount of compensation you are entitled to.
Determining Damages: The Responsibilities of an Phoenix Injury Lawyer
Phoenix injury lawyers first determine all the ascertainable losses you have suffered. These damages are usually classified under economically measured and non-economically measured damages. The economic damages are easier to prove as they are simple losses that resulted from the injury. The losses include seeing a doctor, physiotherapy sessions if you have been in an accident and have to be treated, money you lose should you not be able to work any more, etc.
Special damages on the other hand are non-economic and they are regarded as the loss of the pleasures of life. Even these are no less relevant, though it is a little bit difficult to measure. Your Phoenix injury lawyer shall assess the extent of the injury, the degree of disability, and the overall wellbeing of the injured person.
See also: Role Of Expert Witnesses In Personal Injury Litigation
Calculating Economic Damages in Phoenix Injury Cases
When determining economic damages, attorneys consider every cost that you have had to incur after the injury. They collect bills, receipts and employment documents to assess the overall costs incurred. Concerning lost wages, they will look at your income at the time of the accident and how it influenced your ability to earn in the future. They may also get an expert to give a deposition on the effect of the injury on the future career path that you had in mind.
Evaluating Non-Economic Damages
Calculating non-economic losses usually entails the use of a multiplier method. Here, your attorney will sum up your economic damages, and then multiply the result by a number, which can range from 1 to 5, depending on the specifics of the case. The loss formula includes such things like the intensity of your pain, how permanent your injury is, and even how your injury affects you on an everyday basis.
Punitive damages, also referred to as exemplary damages, are an essential component of the legal system designed to punish the defendant for a wrongful action. If the negligence was extreme or willful, in some instances, you might be awarded punitive damages. These are not for the purpose of paying you back but to penalize the offender and discourage or prevent similar incidents in the future. Arizona law also sets high standards of proof on punitive damages; your lawyer will need to demonstrate with clear and persuasive evidence that the defendant’s conduct was wanton or intentional.
Seeking Fair Compensation in Phoenix
Calculating the actual harm in a tort action involves a certain level of legal and factual analysis. A good Phoenix injury lawyer will understand the intricate steps of this process and will be able to help you seek compensation for all types of damages.
