If you have been injured in an accident in Indiana because of someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible for compensation in an Indiana personal injury claim. In this type of claim, you may be compensated for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other financial expenses related to your accident injuries and recovery.
Calculating these damages on your own can be difficult if you are unfamiliar with Indiana’s negligence laws, what types of damages may be available based on the specifics of your accident, and other factors. Because of the complexity of estimating the value of an Indiana personal injury claim, you may want to get the assistance of an Indianapolis injury attorney.
Damages for Medical Expenses
If, for instance, you have been injured in a car accident in Indiana, in your Indiana personal injury claim, you may be able to recover compensation for the treatments related to your injuries. This includes your doctor visits, surgery, therapy, rehabilitation, and the expense of any medications that you need to treat your injuries.
Furthermore, if your injuries are long term or permanent, you may be compensated for medical expenses that you have to account for in the future. It’s important that these types of future potential costs are represented in your injury claim settlement as agreeing to such a settlement will typically bar you from seeking any further compensation in the future, even if unexpected but related injuries develop.
Damages for Lost Wages
After an accident in Indiana, your injuries may prevent you from returning to the work that you did before, temporarily or permanently. Therefore, in your Indiana personal injury claim, you may recover money for work you missed because of your injuries. If your injuries permanently prevent you from returning to work, you may be compensated for wages that you will lose in the future.
Damages for Your Pain and Suffering
Unlike your medical expenses and lost wages, it is difficult to assess the value of the pain that you have suffered. Therefore, in an Indiana personal injury claim, your Indianapolis personal injury lawyer can help you assess a fair amount of compensation for your pain and suffering. In some cases your Indianapolis injury attorney may work with an expert such as a pain expert, a grief counselor, or the physician who has treated your injuries.
Negotiating a Settlement
In an Indiana personal injury claim, there is no formula to estimate how much your claim may be worth. Therefore, before you file your claim with the responsible insurer, you should have an Indiana car accident attorney help estimate the value of your claim. Once your claim has been filed, an insurance adjuster will come to assess the validity of your claim.
If it is determined that your Indiana personal injury claim is valid, the insurance adjuster may offer you a monetary settlement. However, oftentimes an adjuster will offer you less money than you deserve. If this happens to you, your Indiana car accident attorney may attempt to negotiate your settlement. During these negotiations, your Indiana car accident attorney can use their experience to help get you a fair settlement, or in the event a fair settlement cannot be reached, take your claim to court.