What Are You Entitled to after a Car Accident?
Following a motor vehicle accident that takes place in North Carolina, there are several items of damage that you may be eligible to pursue via settlement or filing a personal injury lawsuit. First, you may be able to receive compensation for the property damage sustained to your motor vehicle. Second, you may be able to pursue compensation for all of your out-of-pocket costs that are related to the accident. Lastly, you may be able to make a claim for noneconomic damages like pain and suffering and punitive damages, in some cases.
The knowledgeable legal team at King Law Firm can help you pursue the recovery you need following a motor vehicle accident that was not your fault.
Property Damage
Motor vehicle accidents can result in property damage to all involved vehicles. In some instances, the accident victim may suffer only minor damage to his or her vehicle. In other cases, however, the accident victim’s vehicle may be totaled. In either case, the accident victim may be able to make a claim for property damages or repair costs that resulted from an accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence.
Economic and Noneconomic Damages
Economic damages are in place to compensate an accident victim for all of his or her out-of-pocket costs that are associated with the accident. In order to be eligible for economic and noneconomic damages, the accident victim must be able to show that another driver’s negligence caused the accident and that this accident resulted in various personal injuries and damages.
In terms of economic damages, the accident victim may be able to recover compensation for lost earnings, as well as damages for medical treatment, physical therapy, and any related surgical procedures.
Noneconomic damages are those types of damages that are not quantifiable in terms of an exact number. For example, if the accident victim suffered one or more serious injuries in the accident, he or she may be able to make a claim for all of the pain, suffering, and inconvenience which he or she experienced as a result of the accident-related injuries. Moreover, the accident victim may be able to make a claim for diminished earning capacity, loss of family support, emotional anguish, or mental distress that stemmed from the accident.
The primary purpose of both economic and noneconomic damages following a motor vehicle accident is to make the accident victim whole, to the greatest extent possible. Although money is oftentimes a poor substitute for the inability to perform a specific activity or bodily function due to an injury, it is the only available means of compensation in motor vehicle accident cases.
Punitive Damages
The purpose of punitive damages is to punish an at-fault motor vehicle driver who causes an accident. Punitive damages may be available to an accident victim in cases where the at-fault driver was intoxicated or engaged in some other egregious behavior that led to the accident.
Call a North Carolina Personal Injury Lawyer Today
At the King Law Firm, our knowledgeable legal team can assist you with pursuing the maximum amount of monetary recovery available to you in your personal injury case. To schedule a free case evaluation and legal consultation with an experienced North Carolina personal injury attorney, please call us at (855) 205-9938 or contact us online today.