If you've been injured in an accident and are thinking about filing a lawsuit against the party responsible, you're probably curious about how much a personal injury claim is worth. While different damages come with different dollar amounts, there are some general injury-related expenses that most accidents have in common. Here are a few of them.

What Can Determine Compensation in a Personal Injury Claim?

1. Medical Bills

Medical bills encompass all the healthcare costs of treating the injuries stemming from the accident. This includes reimbursement of costs for the care you've received, as well as for costs of future care that you'll require because of the injuries sustained.

2. Lost Wages

It's common for accident victims to take time off work to recover. In most cases, you’ll be able to pursue compensation for the wages you were not paid by your employer as a result of the time away from work. If an injury jeopardizes your ability to earn wages in the future, this is considered a loss of earning capacity and is also compensable in an injury case.

3. Pain & Suffering

Pain and suffering aren't as easily quantifiable as medical bills and wages, but they are often awarded as damages in personal injury claims. Judges and juries will take several considerations into account when calculating pain and suffering damages. These include the nature and severity of your injury, the medications doctors have prescribed for it, the projected length of recovery, and the long-term effects of the injury.

4. Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are not awarded in all injury claims. They’re reserved for situations in which the defendant's actions were especially reckless or intentional.

Punitive damages are a kind of punishment designed to deter future behavior from the defendant and similar actions from others in the larger society. Georgia has a cap of $250,000 on punitive damages in injury claims.

Don't let an injury derail your financial stability and recovery. Pursue the compensation you need and deserve with help from Stow, Garvin & Glenn in Dahlonega, GA. For over 50 years, they’ve been representing clients in personal injury, workers' compensation, and Social Security Disability claims. Call (770) 534-5265 or visit their website to schedule a consultation.