Accidents happen. But if your injuries were caused by someone else's negligence or carelessness, “moving on” can be difficult. You or your loved one may even have to live the rest of your life dealing with pain and suffering—and huge medical bills.
Fortunately, you can recover compensation for your damages. Hiring a Clearwater pain and suffering lawyer can take the stress off your shoulders. Between a free consultation and an affordable payment plan, Dolman Law Group is dedicated to fighting for you.
What Counts as Pain and Suffering?
In a legal setting, “pain and suffering” refers to the emotional and physical injuries victims suffer following an accident. Two types of pain and suffering are available:
Physical Pain and Suffering
Examples of physical pain and suffering include:
- Neck pain
- Sprained muscles
- Back pain
- Paralysis
- Dislocated joints
- Headaches
- Injuries to the internal organs
- Dislocated joints
Depending on the type of personal injury and its extent, some of these medical conditions can last for years after the incident occurred, causing ongoing physical pain to the victims.
Emotional Pain and Suffering
On the other hand, emotional pain and suffering refers to the anguish and distress that affects the victim's psychological and mental state. Examples include:
- Insomnia
- Depression
- PTSD
- Fear
- Psychological trauma
- Diminishment of the victim's quality of life
- Grief and frustration
- Loss of companionship
How Is Pain and Suffering Calculated?
No two personal injury cases are the same. There are no specific metrics for measuring how much you can recover from your pain and suffering, but you can estimate how much you're likely to receive.
Here are the two most common ways to do this:
Per Diem Method
The per diem calculation method assigns a specific amount of money to each day you deal with the pain and suffering—from when the accident occurred to when you fully recover from your injuries.
If there is no chance of a full recovery, the per diem method will stop counting when you reach maximum medical improvement in your specific case. In that case, a medical expert will rule that there's no chance of additional improvement.
Multiplier Method
With the multiplier method, countable damages like lost wages and medical bills are summed together and then multiplied by a number, depending on the severity of your injuries. In most cases, the multiplier number is between one and five.
How Can You Prove Pain and Suffering?
After filing your pain and suffering claim, how you make your case plays a part in determining how much you're likely to recover. Five questions that can affect your outcome include:
- What's the extent of your injuries?
- Are you likely to make a full recovery?
- How do your damages affect your current job and the possibility of future employment?
- How many additional treatments do you need?
- Does your home or work environment require modification or adjustments to suit your current condition following your personal injuries?
You can prove pain and suffering by:
- Producing medical bills and other related evidence
- Proving you lost wages
- Providing doctor's notes
- Pictures of your injuries
- Pain and suffering testimony
Are You Entitled to Pain and Suffering?
Even though most personal injury claimants are entitled to pain and suffering, it's not always a guarantee that you are. Your entitlement to pain and suffering depends on the nature of your accident and how severe your injuries are. For instance, if you were involved in a minor rear-end car accident that led to a small dent in your vehicle, you won't likely qualify for pain and suffering.
Do You Need a Clearwater Pain and Suffering Lawyer to File Your Claims?
While not legally required, most victims usually prefer to hire a pain and suffering lawyer after a personal injury. This can be beneficial in the following ways:
It Gives You Time to Rest and Recover
After being involved in an accident, the last thing you want is to spend your time filling out paperwork and arguing with an insurance agent. You want to stay at home or in the hospital and focus on your full recovery. Hiring a professional to handle your legal needs allows you to do exactly that.
Working with our team also gives you peace of mind. You can rest easy knowing that you're putting your best foot forward towards recovering compensation.
It Levels the Playing Field
Insurance companies aren't in the business of handing out money. Before agreeing to pay for your compensation, they'll make sure they have no other option. They have their own attorneys and adjusters to help them reduce the amount of money paid out to claimants. With that in mind, going up against these powerhouses alone is risky—you might not have the resources. But we do.
Hiring a lawyer from Dolman Law Group gives you a level playing field. No bullying. No harassment. When it comes to your case, we don't back down.
We Help You Develop a Winning Strategy
Our personal injury attorneys have handled many cases involving pain and suffering. We know what it takes to win. Our lawyer can help:
- Handle negotiations
- Collect crucial evidence
- File a lawsuit against the liable party
- Calculate your damages
- Interview witnesses
- Review medical reports
- Represent your case in court
We Watch for Crucial Deadlines
Depending on your pain and suffering claim type, there may be different statutes of limitations. But generally, there is a four-year time limit for personal injury cases in Florida under Florida Statutes § 95.11. Failure to meet these deadlines usually results in your case being discarded. Your personal injury lawyer can help you meet all these deadlines while explaining the legal jargon along the way.
Call Our Team Today to Discuss Our Pain and Suffering Lawyers
If you reside in Clearwater, FL, Dolman Law Group is focused on helping you solve your legal issues. When you reach out, we offer a free consultation. We can evaluate your case and suggest the best way to move forward with your claim. Call today to get started! We can valuate your slip and fall, medical malpractice, and car accident pain and suffering.
Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA
800 N Belcher Rd
Clearwater, FL 33765
Phone: (727) 451-6900