When you are injured in an accident or incident caused by another party’s negligence or wrongdoing, you are entitled to seek both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are much easier to quantify because they are mostly objective. You often have bills, invoices, estimates, receipts, and other proof of your financial losses and costs.
Non-economic damages are more challenging to establish and value because they are subjective in nature. Yet, they are often more devastating to an injury victim than economic damages. Your non-economic damages represent your pain and suffering caused by your accident and injuries.
At Anderson Blanda & Saltzman, our compassionate personal injury attorneys in Lafayette have the experience, skills, and resources to accurately value and prove both your economic and non-economic damages and help you secure maximum compensation for your injury claim.
Examples of Pain and Suffering in a Louisiana Personal Injury Case
Pain and suffering include both physical discomfort and emotional or psychological harm caused by your injuries.
The most obvious type of pain and suffering is the actual physical pain you experience due to your injuries. This includes the pain immediately following your accident, pain during your treatment and recovery period, and chronic pain that lasts long after your injuries appear to have healed. It also includes permanent physical damage or disabilities caused by your injuries.
Pain and suffering include the emotional and psychological suffering you experience due to your accident and injuries. It encompasses anxiety, fear, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, which you may experience after an accident.
Loss of enjoyment of life you experience due to your injuries is also included under the umbrella of pain and suffering. This might arise because you are unable to play with your children or participate in hobbies, travel, and other activities you once enjoyed.
Scarring or disfigurement caused by your accident is another form of pain and suffering that may entitle you to compensation. And if you are unable to enjoy the same companionship, affection, and physical relationship with your spouse because of your injuries, this type of damage is encompassed by the category of pain and suffering as well.
Other Damages That Can Be Recovered in Personal Injury Cases
In a successful personal injury case, you can also recover your economic damages, such as current and future medical costs, property damages, lost wages, and other financial losses or expenses incurred due to your accident and injuries.
In rare cases, you may also be able to recover punitive damages. However, Louisiana law allows punitive damages only in situations expressly provided for by statute. For example, Louisiana Civil Code Article 2315.4 allows an award of punitive damages if the intoxication of a driver caused your injuries.
At Anderson Blanda & Saltzman, our experienced Louisiana personal injury attorneys will work to secure all available sources of damages and to maximize your compensation.
How a Louisiana Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You Recover Maximum Damages
An experienced Louisiana personal injury attorney can help establish the full value of all your current and future economic and non-economic damages. They can build your strongest case by gathering and presenting evidence of all damages. They can work with medical, mental health, and industry experts to help prove the extent of your pain and suffering so you can secure maximum compensation.
Your attorney can work to negotiate a fair settlement of your claim and can hold the insurance companies accountable for paying the compensation you deserve. If a fair settlement cannot be reached, an experienced Louisiana personal injury attorney can take your case to trial to help recover the full amount of your damages.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Anderson Blanda & Saltzman
At Anderson Blanda & Saltzman, we have been protecting the rights of injury victims for decades, and we have a proven record of securing maximum compensation for our clients. Let us help you recover the full value of your damages, including your pain and suffering.
Call (337) 233-3366 or complete the short form on our contact page to schedule a free consultation to discuss your personal injury claim.