If you watch a lot of television or movies, then you may have the same conception of personal injury law as most other people. What you know about pain and suffering you can attribute almost entirely to what you see online or on television. For example, when we first meet with a new client, we always ask them to tell us what they think they are entitled to. This gives our Athens injury attorney an idea of what your understanding is when it comes to civil law in Georgia. One specific question that your attorney may ask you is whether you believe you are entitled to damages for pain and suffering. You want to give your attorney an honest answer. It’s okay if you assume that everybody who gets in a car accident is entitled to damages for pain and suffering. We would much rather explain how it really works than get your hopes up unfairly.
Here, we’re going to discuss how pain and suffering damages work in civil law. We will also explain what sort of evidence your Athens injury attorney you can submit in order to prove that you are entitled to damages for pain and suffering. In the meantime, contact our office and ask if you can schedule your free, initial consultation. They won’t cost you a thing and I’ll give you the best idea of how to proceed.
No Plaintiff is Guaranteed Any Damages at All
It’s tricky when a client asks us if they’re guaranteed a certain type of damages. The truth is that nobody’s guaranteed anything when it comes to civil law. You may have what you think is the strongest case anybody’s ever seen. However, anything can happen when it comes to your car accident lawsuit. The defendant may be able to prove that you were partially at fault. If this happens, your overall damages will be reduced by your percentage of fault. If your attorney is not able to prove negligence, then you may not receive any damages at all.
Your Athens Injury Attorney Must Provide Specific Evidence that You Suffered Mental and Physical Anguish
In order to get you pain and suffering damages, your car accident lawyer in Athens we’ll have to submit specific evidence to prove this. The difference between specific and generic evidence is that specific evidence speaks directly about your pain and suffering. For example, any evidence that you used to prove the defendant is negligent would be considered generic evidence. On the other hand, anything that you can use to prove a specific type of damages would be specific evidence.
Some of the evidence that your Athens injury attorney may submit to prove your pain and suffering damages includes the following:
- Your attorney will need to submit a copy of your medical records to show any intensive surgeries you had as a result of the crash.
- if there are receipts for any pain medications you had to pick up from the pharmacy it will also prove your pain and suffering
- Your own testimony about how much pain you experienced, both mentally and physically, will weigh heavily in the jury’s mind
- Your family and friends can speak to the fact that you no longer enjoy your family or social activities the way you did before the accident
- If you met with a counselor to help you deal with the mental anguish brought on by the crash, they can always I support your claim for pain and suffering
Your Car Accident Lawyer in Athens Will Do Whatever They Can to Get You the Compensation You Deserve
If you have been injured in a car accident, your best chance at recovering damages is to hire an Athens car accident lawyer. Not only will your attorney help you file your claim and, if necessary, lawsuit, but they’re also familiar with how the insurance companies operate. They know what it takes to prove negligence. They also know what it takes to prove your damages. When you first meet with your Athens injury attorney, you want to bring as much information with you as you can. For example, make sure you bring a copy of the police report and your medical records. Bring copies of any receipts from your mechanic or other out of pocket expenses. Make sure you’re also prepared to speak openly with your attorney about any mental or physical anguish you’ve suffered since the day of the crash.
Your attorney’s going to work hard to get you as much money as possible. You must remember, your attorney only gets paid if you win or settle your case. And, just like you, they would like to recover as much money as possible. This means that they will work extra hard to prove that you deserve damages for pain and suffering. These damages can be difficult to prove because they’re not tangible. You can’t submit receipts to the judge and hope that he will order the defendant to pay you special damages. There are no receipts for pain and suffering. However, as explained above, your Athens injury lawyer is well aware of what it takes to prove that you deserve pain and suffering. They will submit whatever evidence that is available to them to help you get the compensation you deserve.
We do offer all potential clients a free, initial consultation. This gives you the chance to sit down with a car accident lawyer in Athens and tell them your story. You can ask them any questions you have, and they can do the same with you. After they’ve had a chance to review your information, your attorney will let you know if they think your case has merit. They will also give you an idea of what your case may be worth. Since the consultation is free, and you pay our office nothing up front, it makes common sense that you would want to schedule your free consultation today.