If you were a victim of a car crash and are dealing with trying to settle your case, your lawyer might talk to you about damages in your claim. In terms of damages for a car accident case, there are two main types, and it is important to understand the difference between these if you are in a situation where you are trying to settle a case.
Special damages
Special damages are the most common type of damages awarded to victims of car accidents, and these are often called hard costs. Hard costs are easy to calculate and determine in a car accident case, as they are the actual costs of monetary losses after an accident. An example of this is the total of the medical bills you encounter after the accident. You can easily calculate this by keeping all the medical bills you receive and adding them up. Another hard cost is lost wages. This is the amount of money you lost from not being able to work, and this too is easy to calculate, as all you have to do is add up all the missed time you had from work.
General damages
The other type of damage you can encounter from an accident is called general damages, and these are much harder to calculate. General damages do not come with receipts, making it much harder to place a value on, and they include compensation for pain and suffering. Pain and suffering can look different to many people, but it is definitely something you should seek compensation for if you were affected by the accident in ways that have caused you pain and suffering.
How to maximize your compensation
Maximizing the amount of compensation you are entitled to receive is something lawyers are good at, primarily because they know the law and the options. Your lawyer will be able to give you the best tips as to what you can do to document all your special damages, make sure you receive money for all of them, and document all the general damages you may have experienced from the accident. If you can have the right documentation, it will help you receive a higher settlement.
Hiring a lawyer who offers car accident services is your best bet for receiving the most compensation possible for your case, and you can hire one by contacting a personal injury law firm in your area.
To learn more, reach out to an auto accident lawyer.
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