Being injured in an accident can be one of the most traumatic experiences in a person’s life. On top of your physical and emotional well-being, navigating the financial effects may feel overwhelming. You might be facing medical expenses, property damage costs, and lost earnings if you are unable to work while you recover. Unfortunately, the costs in the immediate aftermath of an accident may not be the only expenses you have to deal with.
If you suffered severe injuries that require long-term treatment and care or were permanently disabled as a result of the accident, then you could be facing long-term care costs. These costs could include future medical expenses and future lost income as well as reduced earning capacity.
At Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC, our Georgia personal injury attorneys are committed to fighting for the full amount of compensation you deserve. Below, we’ll discuss how future damages are calculated and what factors play a role in determining the overall value of your claim.
How Severe Are Your Injuries?
Perhaps the most important factor in determining the cost of future damages is the severity of your injuries. The more severe your injuries, the more likely it is that you will need long-term medical care in the future.
If your injuries are mild to moderate, your doctor might prescribe a few weeks or months of rehabilitative care before you are considered fully recovered. However, if your injuries are particularly serious, you might require multiple major operations, in-home care, and other types of long-term treatment. All of these necessary treatments can significantly increase your future medical costs and the total value of your injury claim.
Some of the most common future damages that many patients with serious injuries incur include:
- Doctor’s visits
- Medical equipment expenses
- Future surgical operations
- In-home health care treatment
- Prescription medicine expenses
- Alterations to your home or car to accommodate a long-term injury or disability
An experienced Georgia personal injury lawyer can help you document your future projected losses and determine the overall worth of your claim. In some cases, your attorney may recommend waiting until you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI) before you send a demand letter. It can be challenging to know how much compensation you should claim before you have a clear picture of your total losses.
Can You Return to Work?
If you suffered long-term injuries or a disability due to the accident, you might not be able to perform the same job that you had before. If you can’t carry out all of your typical vocational duties, you could be placed on light duty. Being placed on light duty would most likely result in reduced income. If you can’t work at all for the foreseeable future, then you won’t be able to earn any income to pay for your living expenses and other out-of-pocket costs.
If you suffered lost earning capacity because of the accident, you could demand compensation for the wages you would have earned if you had not been injured. If your injuries render you unable to work, the value of your claim could go up significantly, as the at-fault party would be responsible for covering your future lost income. This might include:
- Wages
- Commission
- Annual bonuses
- Employee benefits
If you have to be placed on light duty because you can’t perform all of the tasks that are typically required of someone in your occupation, then the at-fault party might be required to pay the difference between what you earn on light duty and what you would have earned doing your regular job.
What Is Your Age and Life Expectancy?
Other factors that might affect the value of your future damages include your age and your life expectancy. For example, if you are injured while you are in the prime of your work life, you might have a more substantial claim than someone closer to retirement age. You also might have a more valuable claim than someone who hasn’t yet begun their career, such as a high school or college student who isn’t employed.
Age can also play a factor in determining the value of your future medical expenses. An elderly individual might require more extensive medical care, including surgeries, in-home treatment, and rehabilitative care. As a result, the value of your claim could be significantly higher than that of a young person who was injured and requires less medical care.
How to Calculate Future Losses
Calculating your future damages can be somewhat complex, which is why we recommend hiring a seasoned attorney to help. Because you haven’t yet incurred future losses, you won’t be able to consult any bills or invoices that detail your expenses. Your attorney can help calculate your past and present financial damages and use this information to predict your future losses.
Your attorney might also hire expert witnesses to provide statements or testimony on your behalf. For instance, if you suffered a severe brain injury, your attorney may get a health care expert to testify regarding your need for long-term medical treatment and rehabilitative care. They can also consult your past pay stubs to estimate your future lost income.
Contact Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC
If you sustained serious injuries in an accident that someone else caused, you deserve a chance to hold the at-fault party accountable for their negligence. Through a personal injury claim or lawsuit, you could obtain compensation for present and future expenses you incur, as well as intangible losses like pain and suffering and loss of quality of life.
At Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC, our knowledgeable lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we won’t collect any upfront legal fees. You won’t owe us a legal fee unless we successfully secure compensation for you. If you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid. Our compassionate and skilled legal team is focused on providing the resources and assistance to help you make the best decisions for your claim.
Contact our Georgia personal injury attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC, right away for a free consultation to discuss the details of your case.
