How Is Pain and Suffering Valued After a Car Accident in Alabama?

Accidents happen every day. They can happen on your way to work, on your way to the store, and often, in your very own neighborhood. According to the Alabama Department of Transportation, one traffic accident was reported every 3 minutes and 18 seconds in 2019. While some of these collisions are minor and may not even involve the insurance company, far too many result in injury or death.

In addition to your actual medical and auto repair costs, the law allows you to recover costs related to your pain and suffering. But how is pain and suffering valued after a car accident in Montgomery, AL? The Thumbs Up Guys® are here to answer this question for you and help you seek every penny you’re entitled to.

What Is Pain and Suffering?

When you sustain an injury, you go to the doctor, the doctor provides treatment, and then they send you a bill. When you are in a car accident, these bills provide indisputable proof of the financial impact of your injuries. When you come to Floyd Hunter Injury Law, we’ll work with you to recover these costs. But some injuries don’t just go away. Even seemingly minor injuries can cause pain, discomfort, and stress for weeks, months, or years after the initial injury. When this happens, you can count on the Thumbs Up Guys® to have your back. Pain and suffering can help compensate you for these “invisible costs” related to your accident.

What exactly is pain and suffering? Each case is different, but pain and suffering may include:

• Actual physical pain
• Prolonged discomfort resulting from your injuries
• Emotional distress
• Mental health issues including anxiety, depression, and PTSD
• Loss of enjoyment when your injuries prevent you from doing things you once enjoyed
• Loss of companionship when a physical or mental injury affects, seriously alters, or destroys a familial or romantic relationship

How Is Pain and Suffering Calculated After an Accident?

When an insurance company makes you an offer, they look at two main factors — economic damages, or how much the accident would cause you to come out of pocket, and non-economic damages, also referred to as pain and suffering. Understandably, economic damages are easier to prove and calculate, as they usually account for medical and property damage bills. For pain and suffering, the insurance company will look at a number of variables to determine the value of your case. That’s why you want the Thumbs Up Guys® by your side to help you make sure you seek the full amount you deserve.

A few things the insurance company will look at include:

• The degree of your injuries. Will you experience long-term pain or discomfort?
• The severity of the accident. Traumatic accidents are more likely to cause psychological distress.
• Your life before the accident. Were you an active athlete before the accident? Does your job require a high level of concentration? What effects do your injuries have on your day-to-day life?
• Evidence. Do you have proof to support your claim of pain and suffering? For example, witness statements, medical records, etc.

The Thumbs Up Guys® Are Here to Help You Seek Compensation for Your Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering can be difficult to prove and recover, but when you work with the Thumbs Up Guys® at Floyd Hunter Injury Law, you’re working with experienced attorneys who know how insurance companies operate. Our managing attorneys have worked for insurance companies, giving us a leg up when it comes to negotiating your case. Don’t wait. You deserve help now. Contact Floyd Hunter Injury Law today to learn more through a free case review.