Due to the high speeds involved, car accidents often result in severe injuries. Unfortunately, these injuries can result in hefty medical bills for victims. In many cases, victims may also feel excruciating pain and suffering due to the accident and the resulting injuries.
An experienced car accident lawyer in Bartow, Florida can help you get compensation for your pain and suffering. But the question is, how do you put a value on your pain and suffering in the first place? Our Bartow personal injury attorneys are going to provide some insights below.
Defining Pain and Suffering
In a car accident, pain and suffering damages can be distinguished from other types of damages, such as medical expenses and lost wages. These damages are used to indicate the physical and mental distress that a car accident victim endures due to their injuries.
Physical pain and suffering: The pain and agony that a car accident victim endures as a direct result of their injuries — both right after the car crash and throughout the recovery period.
Mental pain and suffering: Emotional distress that a car accident victim endures. This could include depression, anxiety, psychological distress, rage, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Pain and suffering can have a huge impact on a car accident victim’s social, marital, and work life. By partnering with a reputable car accident lawyer in Brandon, Florida, you can receive compensation for these damages can help relieve some of that stress.
How is Compensation for Pain and Suffering Calculated in Florida?
A car accident victim will likely have substantial evidence of what the accident has cost them in terms of medical fees and lost earnings — they will have medical bills and pay stubs to prove their case. However, there are no receipts for pain and suffering.
When putting a dollar amount to the victim’s pain and suffering, the Florida court will take several variables into account, which include (but are not limited to) the following:
- The severity of the accident-related injuries
- Whether there will be long-term effects
- The injured person’s age
- The amount of economic loss sustained
The value of pain and suffering in most car accident cases in Florida will be calculated using a “multiplier” method. Your Bartow car accident attorney will often multiply the economic damages by a certain number — usually between one and five.
For example, if economic damages total $150,000 and a multiplier of three is used, the attorney could argue that the car accident victim is entitled to about $450,000 in pain and suffering damages.
Recovering Compensation for Pain and Suffering in Florida
Because Florida is one of the 12 “no-fault” states, a car accident victim’s ability to recover compensation for their pain and suffering may be somewhat limited.
In most cases, a victim seeks medical treatment from their own insurance company following a car crash. Pain and suffering damages can be collected only if an injury reaches a particular threshold, allowing the victim to pursue a personal injury claim. These thresholds include:
- Significant, long-term loss of function
- Lifelong injury
- Permanent scars or disfigurement
A qualified car accident lawyer in Bartow, Florida can review your case and calculate the amount of compensation you may be entitled to.
Speak with a Top-Rated Car Accident Lawyer in Bartow, Florida
Are you looking for the right auto accident attorney in Bartow, Florida to represent your case? If so, the experienced Bartow car accident attorneys at the O’Toole Law Group are willing to fight to help you receive the compensation you deserve. Contact us today at (863) 533 5525 or submit a form through our website to request a free consultation.
