Georgia, home to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters, is the 8th most populated state in the US. According to recent reports, the state has a population of over 11 million.
A horrifying statistic is that unintentional injuries have caused the deaths of 5,500 Georgians in 2020. It is a very common cause of death for Georgians. It is sad that even in the modern era, unintentional injuries are a leading cause of death.
It has become very difficult to avoid accidents, especially in major cities like Atlanta. The best way to control these accidents is by punishing the at-fault parties. Victims can punish the negligent party by filing a claim with the help of an experienced Atlanta personal injury attorney.
By filing a claim, the victim can recover the losses they incurred and hold the negligent party accountable for their actions. This will deter the negligent party from engaging in such behaviors in the future.
Table of Contents
Losses You Can Recover
Accident victims will sustain many types of losses. They will experience physical, emotional, and financial losses. The following are two major types of losses victims can recover:
- Economic damages
- Non-economic damages
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the expenses the victim has incurred as a result of the accident. Any expenses you make due to the accident, like medical bills, are considered economic losses. The following are some of the economic losses a victim will sustain:
- Medical bills
- Property repair costs
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Home readjustment costs
These damages are easy to calculate. You just have to add them together. You can make it easier by keeping detailed documentation of these losses.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are the emotional losses sustained by the victim. The following are the non-economic losses a victim will sustain:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of quality of life
- Mental distress
- Disfigurement
These losses are personal to the victim and hard to compute.
Pain And Suffering
Pain and suffering refers to the pain the injuries have caused the victim. There are two types of pain and suffering: physical and mental.
1. Physical Pain And Suffering
It is obvious that the injuries would cause physical pain. The victim may experience the following:
- Neck pain
- Head pain
- Pain due to broken fractures
- Back pain
2. Mental Pain And Suffering
Injuries can also cause mental problems. Many don’t give importance to the mental problems that injuries cause. Victims will experience the following mental problems:
- Anxiety
- PTSD
- Psychological trauma
- Depression
- Anger
The Per-Diem Method
There are two methods to calculate the non-economic losses: the per-diem method and the multiplier method.
The per-diem method assigns a certain value to the victim’s day. Usually, this value will be the victim’s daily wage.
This value will be multiplied by the total number of days it takes for the victim to recover completely.
Example: Aaron was injured in an accident. Let’s say Aaron’s daily wage is $35. According to the per-diem method, this $35 will be assigned as a per-day value for Aaron.
Now, Aaron took 55 days to completely recover. So the total non-economic loss will be $1925.
Sometimes, a higher value will be assigned if the injuries sustained are severe and have long-term consequences.
Get A Lawyer’s Help
Calculating non-economic losses is quite difficult. It is best to get a lawyer’s help. Personal injury lawyers are experts at calculating both economic and non-economic losses.
Inaccurate calculations can lead to lowball settlements or claim rejections. A lawyer can prevent this from happening.
They can also assist in other things, like negotiating with the insurance company. Trust them to get you the compensation you deserve.
Final Thoughts
Hope you learned the different types of non-economic losses and how to compute them using the per-diem method. You can also use the multiplier method to calculate non-economic losses. Speak with your lawyer and use whichever is best for you.
