For many New Yorkers, driving is the most dangerous thing they do all day. A mechanical failure like a jammed accelerator or leaky brakes; or a lone moment of distraction from a text, a conversation or changing the radio station can send the thousands of pounds of steel and glass they are driving into the thousands of pounds of steel and glass driven by someone else. When these inevitable mishaps and mistakes happens, New Yorkers have legal options, including filing a car accident lawsuit.
Why do New Yorkers do that? Two reasons: to hold the responsible driver accountable and to receive financial compensation to cover the damages caused by the accident.
The types of damages a New Yorker can recover come in several shapes and sizes. Some are straightforward and obvious, others much less so. Below are four of the most common types.
Medical expenses. This type addresses the medical costs a New Yorker needs to pay following an accident. This can include not only the expenses flowing from the immediate aftermath, such as ambulance fees and emergency care, it also covers ongoing costs like therapy and in-home services.
Pain and suffering. This type addresses the mental and physical distress suffered by victims. The extent of the pain and suffering will depend on the type of injury, how severe it is and how long it will last.
Lost future wages. These damages deal with the cost of not being able to work or having to miss work to get treatment. It will help New Yorkers receive the money they would have made had they not been hurt. Because of that, this type of damages can vary greatly based on the earning power and amount of work missed. Generally, the younger the person, the better the job and the higher their skill level, the more compensation that person will receive.
Loss of affection or companionship. This type addresses what a partner loses when their significant other is hurt or killed. Unlike the earlier categories, the victim’s spouse, not the victim, is the one who would ask for loss-of-affection damages.
To receive these, and other damages, injured New Yorkers may benefit from speaking with an experienced car accident attorney.
Source: FindLaw, “What Kinds of Damages May I Claim for Car Accident Injuries?” Accessed Feb. 23, 2015
