If you suffered a personal injury and lifelong disability as a result of that injury, you are entitled to compensation from the negligent party. Unfortunately, calculating the costs of your disability are much more complex than calculating the costs for short-term injuries. The complexity of these personal injury cases requires expert legal representation from the lawyers at Saunders Law Firm in Bartow, FL. Our team works with financial analysts and other experts to more accurately estimate the total costs of your injury.
Determining the Costs of a Permanent Disability
It is more difficult to determine the total costs of a permanent disability. With short-term injuries and disabilities, making these estimates is simpler. Although you may need extensive medical treatment and may be unable to work for several months or even a year or more, you will return to work at some point after you have healed.
A lifelong disability, on the other hand, may mean you never return to work, or it could mean you get a job again in the future. This job, however, could be less intense than your previous career and may pay less as a result. Many lifelong disabilities require long-term care, either in the home or in a facility. With the help of financial analysts and experts, our team will look at the following to calculate damages.
Medical Expenses
Medical expenses are difficult to predict for a permanent disability. These expenses can include more than just medical treatment in a hospital or other facility. It may also include medications, physical therapy, and prosthetic limbs or appliances like wheelchairs. If modifications are needed to make your home more accessible, these may also fall under medical expenses. Additionally, your disability may negatively impact other areas of your health as well, and we must account for that.
Loss of Income
Many victims with permanent disabilities can eventually start working again, though it may take some time. Still, a vast majority of those with lifelong disabilities cannot return to the same position and level of pay they were at before the injury. As such, we must estimate your potential earnings, based on your education and career level prior to your injury. We must also look at the potential for growth and advancement in your career prior to your injury. This will give us a better idea of how much income you have truly lost.
Quality of Life
Both short-term and long-term injuries will have a significant impact on your quality of life. A lifelong disability will have an even greater impact on your quality of life, as well as that of your family. To accurately determine how your injury has affected your quality of life, we will look at your marital status and how many children you have, as well as your previous levels of activity.
Get the Settlement You Deserve
An insurance company’s only goal is to settle your claim for the least amount of money possible. For this reason, you need a team of attorneys on your side that know your worth and will fight for your right to maximum compensation for your damages. Call Saunders Law Firm today to schedule a consultation.
