Your pain and suffering matters

Hello Folks, Attorney Paul Samakow here. 

If you’ve been injured due to someone’s negligence in an auto collision a personal injury (PI) claim can help you set your life back on track.  And today I’d like to discuss the type of compensation you can expect when you file a PI claim. 

Let’s start with a common scenario we hear from our clients.  You’re driving down the road. You’re maintaining a safe speed and obeying traffic signals.  All of a sudden, someone plows into the side of your car.  You had the right of way, they were obviously at fault, but it is you whose car is now undrivable, and it is you who are badly injured, in pain and unable to work.   

In a case like this, filing a personal injury claim against the at fault party’s insurance company is the right move.   And doing so can help you replace your vehicle, pay for your medical expenses, get reimbursed for your lost time at work and more.  

If you’re badly hurt because of someone’s negligence on the road, it can turn your life upside down.  If you are unable to report for work for weeks or even months, your employer may not be able to hold onto your job position for you.  You could be faced with weeks or months of painful and time-consuming rehabilitation.  Worse still, you’re injury could result in you being permanently disabled or disfigured.  A personal injury claim can and should take all of this into account and can and should compensate you for these unfortunate consequences of the auto collision. 

The part of a personal injury claim I’m most frequently asked about is how you can be compensated for pain and suffering.  If you’ve suffered physical and emotional pain due to someone else’s negligence, you can recover pain and suffering damages with a PI claim.   The amount you can recover depends on several things including the severity of your injury, the length of time it takes to recover and the impact the injury had and will have on your life and daily activities. 

Insurance adjusters often calculate pain and suffering by using a multiplier of your medical expenses and lost wages.  For example, if your medical bills and lost wages add up to $40,000, a multiplier of 1.5 may be used and you could be awarded $60,000, with the $20,000 on top for your pain and suffering.  Another way to calculate pain and suffering is by setting a daily rate and then multiplying that by however many days the injury lasts.  Pain and suffering can be subject to caps or limits depending on where you live and where the injuries occurred.  

All that being said, here’s the bottom line.  If you’re injured in an auto collision because of someone else’s negligence, call my office.  Put my team of legal experts to work for you.  There is never any up-front cost.  We can help you get the medical care you need.  We can handle negotiations with the at fault party’s insurance company.  We can help accurately calculate the value of your claim and make sure you’re properly compensated for your injuries, property damage, lost wages, pain and suffering and more.   

Lastly, if you or someone you love is ever involved in an auto collision, I am here for you.  Please call my office immediately 703-854-9288 or 301-298-8383.

Until next time, please be safe, and NEVER text while driving!

Paul Samakow

Attorney Paul Samakow