What Is Injury Compensation?

Injury compensation is the money paid to injured workers in order to pay for their losses from workplace accidents. These losses can include medical bills loss of wages, future income in addition to loss of enjoyment of life damages.

The money can be obtained in two ways: through a settlement, or filing a lawsuit. A lawyer will review the case and advise you which option is right for you.

Medical Treatment

Your claim for injury attorney will comprise the cost of medical treatment. The insurance company will pay for reasonable and essential medical expenses. This includes medical bills for health professionals and specialist. You may also be reimbursed for prescriptions and non-prescription medications while traveling to and from medical appointments.

Based on the severity of your injury, you may require assistive aids like wheelchairs, canes or special clothes. You can also claim costs for home modifications such as ramps and stair lifts. Medical expenses comprise the cost of diagnostic tests that are necessary to diagnose your injuries and monitor your recovery. You may also claim reimbursement for any procedure needed to treat your injury. The workers' compensation board has guidelines for medical treatment that doctors must follow. These guidelines allow your doctor to give the majority of your medical treatment without requesting your insurance approval.

Following the advice of your doctor could be very beneficial in your case. If the defendant or insurance company observes that you've skipped appointments or playing tennis on weekends despite claim of injury, they will argue that your injuries are not as severe as you claim. If you're constantly seeing health care professionals and receiving extensive medical treatment in the meantime, they might need to admit that your injuries were serious.

Lost Wages

Physical injuries can be a source of pain however, they can also be financially devastating. The expenses associated with treatment typically grow quickly, and injury victims have to contend with the loss of wages while they are recovering from their injuries. If your injury caused you to miss work, you may be entitled to compensation for the time that you've missed.

Proving that you lost wages is a complicated procedure that requires specific evidence. It is important to have copies of your previous pay stubs and income tax documentation. These documents can be utilized by your lawyer to show the total amount of lost earnings due to your accident.

Your lost wages could comprise your regular hourly or salaried income, potential overtime bonus payments, commissions and more. They can also include any benefits that you're not receiving, like free meals, car allowances or lawsuit health benefits.

You may also be able to claim compensation for the days you missed due to your injury because you had to take sick or vacation leave to cover the days. Your attorney can calculate the fair value of these days and request payment from the responsible party. If your injury is permanent your lawyer may also seek compensation for future earnings potential. This is a more difficult procedure that requires you to hire an accountant or forensic accountant in order to prove your loss of future earning potential.

Medical expenses

You could be faced with significant medical expenses based on the extent of the injury. This could stress on your financial situation. Serious injuries can also prevent you from working and earning a decent amount of time, which places an economic burden on you and your family.

You are entitled to reimbursement for medical expenses related to the incident such as ambulance rides, doctor visits and x-rays, hospital treatment, medicines, supplies and orthopedic appliances. You may also be eligible for reimbursement for travel expenses to and from medical appointments, and also therapy. You must keep receipts for all medical expenses, as you'll be reimbursed based on the actual expenses.

Attorneys and insurance companies often use your medical bills as a base point for calculating damages. They will then multiply that number by an amount of 1.5 to 5 to calculate general damages. Typically, minor injuries will be on the low portion of this spectrum, while serious or long-lasting injuries will be at the top end.

The Kocian Law Group has the expertise to ensure that you get the full amount of medical reimbursement you are entitled to. We will fight to convince insurance companies to cover the full amount of medical treatment your health care providers recommend regardless of whether insurers dispute the necessity or reasonableness of the treatment.

Pain and Suffering

The injured party is entitled to be compensated for the physical and emotional pain and suffering caused by his or her injuries. Physical suffering and pain damages could include future and past medical treatment. Mental anguish, discomfort, embarrassment, shock and sadness could also be considered.

It can be difficult to put a value on the pain and suffering caused by an accident, particularly when permanent injuries are involved such as being in a wheelchair or blinded. However, it is important for victims of accidents to be aided by an attorney when it comes to gathering the necessary evidence to show their loss.

In certain situations the injured party may negotiate a settlement without the need to go to trial. In the majority of instances an insurance company is involved in a settlement agreement. The insurance company might make use of a multiplier or per diem method to calculate pain and suffering damages.

The courts use the multiplier method as well as the per diem method to determine the amount of compensation for physical and emotional trauma caused by accidents. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages, however the final amount will be decided by the jury. An attorney who specializes in personal injury cases will assist victims of accidents to gather evidence to support a strong claim. The skilled attorneys at Adam S. Kutner & Associates can help with the investigation and preparation of your case for court or settlement.