If you’ve been injured in an auto accident then you’ve likely wondered what type of compensation you may be owed. The first step is to talk to a San Bernardino auto accident attorney who can go over your specific case and injuries to provide you with personalized advice. When you call Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707, you’re eligible for a free case evaluation. We’ve also provided some general information below about what types of compensation may be available for car accident victims.
There are two main types of damages awarded: Compensatory and punitive
Compensatory damages are available to help a victim get reimbursement or compensation for the harm they’ve suffered. Compensatory damages are available in many any type of case and can be awarded in wrongful death cases as well. There are a wide range of compensatory damages, which are generally broken down into general damages or special damages.
General compensatory damages are designed to reimburse victims for non-economic damages like pain and suffering, mental anguish, or, in the event of a wrongful death case, loss of companionship. Special damages are designed to reimburse the victim for actual economic damages. They can include things like lost earnings, medical bills (both past and future), loss of future earnings, etc. Once again, your San Bernardino auto accident attorney will be in a better position to give you specifics on what you can expect.
Punitive damages are rarely awarded in personal injury cases. Their main purpose is to punish the guilty party for particularly reckless or negligent behavior. In both cases, both punitive and compensatory, the damages are given directly to the plaintiff.
Your San Bernardino auto accident attorney can help you collect the money you’re owed
It’s understandable that many people assume that once they win their personal injury case, they get a check the next day and can move on with their lives. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Sometimes a defendant who’s on the hook for damages may claim that they can’t pay the amount of the award. In other cases they may agree to pay part but not all of it. Sometimes they may simply refuse to pay at all.
The good news is that an auto accident attorney can help ensure you get the money you’re owed. We can uncover undisclosed assets, put liens on the defendant’s property, and can even garnish their wages. We can also ensure that the defendant understands that interest is accruing on the damages they owe and the balance is simply going up every month they don’t pay.
In the event that the person who want to sue has liability insurance, then the job of collecting will likely be much easier. Most insurance companies will pay a damages award or settlement quickly, up the liability amounts of the policy holder.
Do you have other question for a San Bernardino auto accident attorney? If so, Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas welcomes your call. Call us today at 909-982-0707 for your free case evaluation and we can go over the specifics of your case.
