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Many people struggle with their mental health in the aftermath of a traumatic accident. Can you receive compensation for mental harm caused by an accident? Our personal injury team explains if this can be part of your claim.
Damages You Can Receive After an Accident
There are two main types of damages you can receive compensation for after an accident. First, there are economic damages. These are the financial costs directly caused by the accident. For example, compensation to cover property damage and medical bills. These are the easiest damages to determine because they have an exact monetary value.
The other type of damages are non-economic damages. Non-economic damages count for intangible losses, like harm to your mental health. So to answer the initial question, yes, your personal injury case can account for mental health damages.
After a traumatic accident, you may suffer from:
- PTSD
- Loss of enjoyment in life
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
Mental consequences that can be just as difficult to recover from as physical injuries– if not more difficult. It is crucial that you do seek compensation for damage to your mental health after an accident. Assigning a value to these non-economic damages can be complicated, but an experienced personal injury attorney can help.
A third, less common type of damages are punitive damages. These are additional payments made if the at-fault party acted grossly negligent or there were aggravating circumstances that increased the severity of the accident. For example, if the at-fault party was drunk behind the wheel, hit your car and injured you. In this scenario, there is a higher chance you may receive additional punitive damages. However, these are not necessarily to cover mental health costs and instead are meant to be an additional punishment for the at-fault party.
Phoenix Personal Injury Law Firm
It’s important to have the guidance and assistance of a personal injury attorney as you seek compensation after an accident. If you suffered physical or mental harm after a car, truck or other type of accident, Knowles Law Firm, PLC can help. Reach out to our attorneys today to learn more about your legal options and how we can help; call (602) 702-5431.