Being Compensated For A Permanent Injury
If you have suffered an injury that can be shown it's a permanent or long-lasting injury, you may be able to recover a significant amount of compensation for those damages. The more serious the effect the injury has on your work life, home life and recreational life, the higher your compensation may go. The key is proving that the disability is considered permanent. This article will give you a brief overview on the definition of a permanent, or residual injury, and how you can work to get the compensation you deserve.
Permanent Injuries
Permanent injuries vary from case to case, but they usually include injuries like a spinal cord injury, the loss of a limb, the loss of mobility, eye injuries, or a brain injury. Other injuries that may fall into this category may include scars, because that can have a lasting effect on your well-being and self-esteem, leading to depressing and anxiety. Injuries that cause long-lasting physical impairment, or require significant medical treatment may also be deemed to be permanent disabilities.
Proving Your Injury is Permanent
The first thing you want to do in proving a residual injury is make sure everything about your injury is clearly documented in your records. If you and your lawyer are trying to get higher compensation, your doctor should mention in your records the possibility of a permanent effect your injury will have on the rest of your life. If your case is going to trial, your doctor will not only need to testify as to why he or she believes the injury is permanent, but have the medical proof to back up that claim. If your case is going to trial, the defendant will most likely provide a medical expert to provide reasoning and medical proof as to why your injury may not be considered permanent.
Determining the Value of a Permanent Injury
The most difficult part about receiving higher compensation for a permanent injury is that these disabilities have ongoing costs. Because of these open-ended costs, settlements for permanent injuries are not always easy to value and calculate. Either way, insurance companies try to do everything they possibly can to settle these long-term disability claims out of court, especially if you do come up with enough evidence to support the injury is considered permanent. Insurance companies don't usually like to take chances with verdicts that can reach into an overly-high amount that is not good for their business. Talk to places like Wolfley & Wolfley, P.S. for more information.