How Much Is My Car Accident Worth in Brooklyn?
If a car accident has harmed you or someone you love, you might be wondering how much compensation you could receive. Perhaps you’re facing serious medical bills and a lifelong disability. If you’re wondering how you’re going to pay your bills after an accident, you probably need to start budgeting. You might also wonder about the true “cost” of your psychological issues. How can you calculate the value of your Brooklyn car accident?
How Serious Was Your Crash?
The first question you need to ask yourself is simple: How serious was your crash? This is an important question for two reasons: First, a serious crash usually leads to more “damages.” In the legal world, your “damages” represent your losses. A minor accident might only cause a few losses, while a serious crash could lead to life-changing consequences.
The seriousness of your crash is also important because of New York’s no-fault system. Those who suffer serious injuries can pursue non-economic damages. If you have suffered only moderate or minor injuries, however, you may only pursue economic damages. In other words, serious injuries inherently lead to higher levels of compensation.
Examples of serious injuries include:
- Amputations
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Disfigurement
- Organ damage
- Loss of bodily function
- Complex fractures
Economic vs. Non-Economic Damages in New York
Why do non-economic damages lead to more compensation in New York? Non-economic damages represent your psychological or emotional losses. These might include PTSD, depression, anxiety, emotional distress, and so on. You can claim compensation after losing the ability to engage in beloved activities – such as soccer or hiking. You might also recover compensation for self-esteem issues caused by burns or scars.
While the dollar value of these damages might be slightly abstract, it makes sense to pursue as much compensation as possible after an accident. Those who can claim non-economic damages after car accidents often receive many multiples of their economic damages.
Economic damages represent your financial losses, and these are straightforward expenses related to medical treatment, income loss, property damage, and so on. Unlike economic damages, the value of these losses should be relatively easy to calculate. Even if you cannot claim non-economic damages, it makes sense to recover as much compensation as possible for your economic damages.
Key Takeaways
- Compensation for car accidents is based on your “damages”
- Non-economic damages are only pursuable after serious injuries
- The best way to check the value of your car accident claim is to speak with a lawyer
Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer in Brooklyn Today
If you’re serious about calculating the value of your car accident in Brooklyn, contact the New York City car accident lawyers at Cohan Law, PLLC today. With our help, you can begin to understand how much compensation you could receive. Online research only gets you so far – and each injury claim is unique. Reach out today, book a consultation, and receive targeted guidance based on your specific circumstances.
Sources:
comptroller.nyc.gov/services/for-the-public/claims/
dfs.ny.gov/consumers/auto_insurance/nofault_faqs
