How is Pain and Suffering Calculated in Personal Injury Claims?
After an accident, you will suffer a number of losses. You will have to pay for medical treatment for your injuries, you may lose income if you cannot return to work right away, and you will be in significant pain and suffering. When someone else was to blame for the accident that caused your injuries, you can file a claim against them to recover financial compensation for your losses. This compensation includes both economic and non-economic damages.
Pain and suffering is one of the most common types of non-economic damages in personal injury claims, but many people do not understand how this compensation is calculated. Our personal injury lawyer in Tucson explains how you can calculate your damages below.
What is Pain and Suffering in Personal Injury Claims?
Damages for pain and suffering are meant to compensate you for the physical pain caused by your injuries, as well as the mental anguish you may experience. There are two components of pain and suffering damages and they are as follows:
- Physical pain: The injuries you will sustain during an accident are extremely painful. If you broke bones, you may have to undergo multiple surgeries with painful recovery times to correct the problem. If you suffered a head injury, you may experience extremely painful headaches regularly. Pain and suffering damages will compensate you for the physical pain you are feeling now, and for the pain you will feel in the future.
- Mental anguish: The mental anguish you will experience after an accident is a by-product of the physical pain and so, you can include it in your claim for damages. For example, if you were an athlete before the accident and you broke your leg, you may no longer be able to play the sport you once loved. This can result in feelings of anxiety and depression, which is mental anguish you deserve compensation for.
How are Pain and Suffering Damages Calculated?
There are many different ways to calculate pain and suffering damages, but the most common one is known as the multiplier method. The multiplier method first calculates the total value of the accident victim’s economic damages. Economic damages are those that have a concrete dollar value, such as medical expenses and lost income. Once the economic damages are calculated, they are then multiplied by a number between 1.5 and 4, depending on the severity of injuries.
Another way to calculate pain and suffering damages is to assign a dollar value per day to the pain and anguish the accident victim is experiencing. The assigned number is then multiplied by the number of days it is expected to take the victim to recover.
Our Personal Injury Lawyer in Tucson Can Calculate Your Damages
Calculating non-economic damages such as pain and suffering is challenging. At Karnas Law Firm, PLLC, our Tucson personal injury lawyer will identify and accurately calculate all of your losses so you obtain the maximum damages you are entitled to. Contact us now at (520) 214-8343 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation and to obtain the sound legal counsel you need.