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Determining the Compensation You Can Claim for a Car Accident in Sacramento
The first legal challenge the victim of a car accident faces is proving fault for the incident. Before they can recover any compensation, they will need to identify the driver who caused the accident and prove exactly how they caused it. Once fault is established, the next challenge the victim faces is proving the full extent of the damages the at-fault driver caused.
Some damages from a car accident are immediately apparent, such as vehicle repair costs and the medical expenses the victim incurs for treatment of their injuries. However, if you were recently injured in an accident someone else caused, you may be able to claim far more than you initially expected. With the help of an experienced auto accident lawyer in Sacramento, your recovery could potentially include:
- Vehicle repair costs and any other property damage resulting from the accident, such as the cost of any damaged personal effects that were inside of your vehicle.
- Medical treatment costs. You can claim repayment of not only all immediate medical expenses but also the cost of any ongoing future treatment you may need to reach maximum medical improvement from your injuries. Many car accidents result in severe injuries that need specific ongoing care.
- Lost wages. When you are unable to work while you are recovering from your injuries, the defendant who caused the accident is liable for the income you cannot earn during this time.
- Lost future earnings. Unfortunately, some car accident victims are left permanently disabled by these incidents. If this applies to your situation and you will be unable to work at all in the future due to the harm the defendant caused, they are also liable for the future income you are no longer able to earn. Your legal team can help accurately calculate these projected future lost wages and add them to your case.
- Pain and suffering compensation. California law allows a plaintiff in a personal injury case to recover compensation for physical pain and emotional distress a defendant inflicted with their actions. There is no limit to this aspect of your recovery, so you could potentially obtain more pain and suffering compensation than the compensation you receive for all your other claimed damages.
- Punitive damages. These are not directly claimed by a plaintiff and are instead awarded at the discretion of the court, typically in response to a defendant inflicting injuries through illegal misconduct. As the name suggests, punitive damages aim to punish the defendant for exceeding the extent of typical negligence.
Ultimately, you may be entitled to a far greater recovery than you expect, and the right attorney can be invaluable for helping you maximize your case award. An auto accident attorney in Sacramento can provide guidance and support through all your efforts to recover from an accident another driver caused.