If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, you may wonder whether you need to contact a lawyer. An experienced car accident lawyer can help you to obtain the financial compensation that you deserve so that you can recover as fully as possible from your injuries. In order to be entitled to compensation for your injuries, you must be able to prove that you incurred damages.
The typical damages incurred by a car accident victim include:
1. Missed wages if you were unable to work for a period of time. If your injury was serious, you may never be able to return to work in the same capacity as you did before your accident. You may be entitled to receive compensation for the expected decrease to your income caused by the accident.
2. Out-of-pocket expenses for medicines, treatments and therapies. Most drugs and rehabilitative treatments, such as physiotherapy, are not covered by OHIP. Rehabilitative treatments are often vital to the recovery of a car accident victim.
3. The cost of medical aides or devices such as wheelchairs or walkers. These devices can be extremely expensive and it is not uncommon for an injured person to require a variety of different mobility aides over the course of his or her recovery.
4. The cost of in-home care. Depending on your injuries and their severity, you may require help with the up-keep of your home, such as cleaning, or you may require help with cooking, bathing or other tasks to enable you to continue to live in your home.
5. The cost of renovations to your home to accommodate your injuries. Depending on your injuries, your home may require extensive renovations to accommodate a wheelchair or other mobility device, or minor renovations such as the installation of handrails.
6. Pain and suffering. In Ontario, an injured person can only sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering if the accident caused a permanent and serious impairment or disfigurement. Permanent and serious injuries include spinal cord injuries causing paralysis, amputation of a limb, loss of sight, and brain injuries.
Those injured in car accidents may suffer from either physical or psychological injuries. Many injuries, such as soft tissue injuries and whiplash, may not be apparent for a few days or even weeks after the accident. An experienced car accident lawyer will help you to preserve your legal rights after a serious motor vehicle accident.
