Being injured in an accident can leave you with medical bills and disabilities that interfere with your ability to care for yourself and your family.  Lost wages, lost enjoyment of life, and other harms can all entitle you to substantial compensation after an accident.

For help getting the compensation you need, work with one of our Pittsford, NY personal injury lawyers.  Our attorneys can fight the insurance companies and seek to get you the damages you need.  If your case needs to go to trial, we can argue your case before a judge and jury.

For a free case review, contact The Carrion Law Firm’s Pittsford, NY personal injury lawyers today at (718) 841-0083.

The Process of Getting Compensation for Injuries in Pittsford, NY

After an accident, there are two major paths to compensation that victims can usually pursue at the same time.  Many people have insurance to cover accidents on their property, car crashes they cause, and other accidents they would be held responsible for.  However, insurance companies often like to reduce payouts or deny claims altogether, forcing many victims to file a lawsuit at the same time.  This can help push insurance companies to settle and, if they refuse to settle for a fair value, put the decision in the hands of a judge and jury instead of an insurance adjuster.

Your Pittsford personal injury lawyers can help you by interfacing with insurance for you.  Insurance companies often try to pressure people into admitting some level of fault, reducing how much they would ultimately have to pay them under New York law.  They also seek to get claims reduced by using their own medical experts or fact checkers.  Your attorney can negotiate with them, present evidence to help prove fault, and make it clear that the alternative option for the insurance company is an expensive court battle.

In court, your lawyer will be able to collect evidence, perform depositions, and make arguments to the court about evidence.  This will help set you up with the tools you need at trial.  At trial, your lawyer will put on your case, present evidence and witness testimony, and argue that the other party was responsible for your injuries.

Ultimately, damages are usually paid by an insurance company, though out-of-pocket payments are also possible in many cases.  Most cases also end up settling – but settlements managed by an experienced personal injury lawyer often give the victim enough money to cover their expenses and their needs.

Damages in a Personal Injury Case in Pittsford, NY

The damages you can claim in your case will depend heavily on what specific damages you faced in your case.  Every case is different, so the amounts and specific areas of damages available will change from case to case.  For example, your Pittsford personal injury lawyers can argue that your injury caused you to miss work and lose wages, justifying compensation for a few months of past lost wages.  In other cases, victims might have developed permanent disabilities that prevent them from returning to work at all, justifying damages for ongoing lost wages and lost earning capacity.

Despite the specific facts of your case being so important, victims can typically claim three major areas of damages:

Medical Expenses

Bills for your care and treatment are often an expensive part of dealing with an injury.  These damages should be compensated in full by the at-fault parties.  These damages should include the cost of emergency services, hospital stays, surgeries, and follow-up care, such as check-ups and physical therapy related to the accident.

Lost Wages

As mentioned in the example above, damages are often available for past lost wages related to your injuries as well as ongoing, future lost wages.  Depending on the severity of your injuries, you might be unable to return to work at your previous capacity, allowing your Pittsford personal injury lawyers to claim damages for “lost earning capacity.”

Non-Economic Damages

Damages that are not tied to any specific economic value from a bill or statement can still be compensated.  These damages often involve the physical and mental experiences of the victim, such as pain, suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, lost enjoyment of life, and more.

Calculating Damages in a Pittsford Personal Injury Case

As mentioned, insurance companies often like to drive down the damages in an insurance claim.  This makes trusting the insurance company’s valuation of your injury case a dangerous proposition.  Before accepting any money from the insurance company, you should always have your own Pittsford personal injury lawyer examine your case and calculate damages.

In some cases, hiring experts will be necessary to project the cost of damages.  This is especially common in cases involving lost earning capacity or cases where you will need extensive medical care down the road to continue to deal with your disabilities and injuries.

How Long Do I Have to File an Injury Claim in Pittsford, NY?

Victims of personal injuries usually have 3 years to file their case in New York.  However, you should call our Pittsford personal injury attorneys as soon as you can to begin working on your case.  Evidence can be lost over time, witnesses forget what happened, and seeking justice can move down your list of priorities as you recover and get back to your life.  Working with an attorney early can help secure evidence, build a strong case quickly, and allow your lawyer to aggressively seek compensation right away for your damages.

Call Our Pittsford Personal Injury Attorneys Today

For a free case evaluation, contact our Pittsford, NY personal injury lawyers today.  Call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083.