About Claims

When a claim is made, it is divided into two parts. The first part is the General Damages, which covers the pain and suffering inflicted by the injury itself. The second part is the Special Damages, which covers additional expenses that have been incurred as a consequence of the accident.

The levels of general damages are usually defined by the extent of the injury. For example, if somebody loses an arm as a result of the accident, she should be entitled to more compensation than someone who broke her leg. Attorneys have tables of injuries and compensation levels that provide them with guidance as to how much an accident victim may be expected to receive.

For special damages, there is much more to be considered. For example, if a professional baseball pitcher broke his hand, the knock on financial implications for the rest of his life could be great. If however, an office worker broke his foot, it would not necessarily harm his earning potential, so his damages would be less. These types of damages often involve very complicated calculations based on some of the following factors:

• Age of the victim
• Profession of the victim
• Extent of the injury
• Likelihood of the victim requiring longer term care
• Likelihood of the victim finding suitable alternative employment

In certain circumstances, special damages can run to very high numbers indeed. This is particularly the case where children are injured in such a way that they will need care for the rest of their lives.

If you would like to learn more, please call 337-942-6529.