Receiving compensation for pain and suffering after car accidents

If you become injured in a serious car accident, North Carolina court seeks to reimburse you for various monetary damages. The cost of medical bills, loss of work and property damage all add up to an amount to award you if another driver caused your injuries. But what about injuries inflicted that you cannot see or directly quantify?

If you experience mental or emotional pain and suffering after a car accident, a judge works to determine the right compensation for your distress. Looking at multiple factors of your circumstances, he or she can award you money for changes in your life caused by the accident. If you suffer from any type of injury after an accident, whether you have physical or emotional injuries, you want to speak with an experienced attorney to obtain necessary compensation.

What constitutes injuries of pain and suffering?

Pain and suffering involves quantifying the physical pain and psychological trauma that may occur after an accident. Chronic physical pain including back aches or headaches may require monetary payment.

Emotional problems may constitute a more difficult matter to quantify in damages. Some examples of emotional trauma that may require compensation after a car accident include:

• Flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Frightening thoughts
• Avoiding attending loud events
• No longer driving or riding in a car
• Being easily startled
• Mood swings
• Insomnia
• Memory loss

North Carolina court looks at your symptoms after your car accident. If your life drastically changed after experiencing this traumatic event, your pain and suffering may require payment to aid you in your recovery.

Required documentation and obtaining funds

Usually, car insurance companies determine your level of pain and suffering worth compensating. The companies commonly use two methods:

1. Multiplier method: This method involves multiplying your total medical bills by your emotional symptoms based on their severity.
2. Per diem method: This method calculates your daily suffering.

To present your pain and suffering to the court for obtaining money, you must provide documentation or proof of your physical pain and psychological injuries. The court may require seeing:

• Medical records or lab tests
• Prescription reports
• Therapy schedules
• Over-the-counter medication receipts
• Testimony from doctors or loved ones

You do not have to experience pain and suffering alone after a car accident. Assuming your injuries were caused by another driver’s negligence, a court will work to quantify how your life changed after the traumatic experience.