After a car accident, many people will leave the settlement work and decision up to their insurance companies, trusting them to carry out the case fairly. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, and it’s wise to have a personal injury lawyer on your side. Here are some of the damages you can receive after a car accident that you may not have been aware of.

1. Lost Income and Earning Capacity

Most accidents will inevitably lead to time off work through injury and recovery or hospital appointments. Most workplaces won’t pay for this time off, and many people are self-employed so earnings will be lost. Future earning capacity can be considered, especially in cases of severe injury for physical workers, when the job will no longer be manageable. The lawyer can make a prediction of possible damages based on the job skill, age of claimant, life expectancy, experience, and more.

2. Medical Bills

You can be compensated and reimbursed for any expenses you incur from hospital stays, treatment, and doctors’ visits. You will need to provide proof that the treatments are related to injuries from the accident. If medical professionals decide that you will need ongoing care and medical treatment, these costs are also recoverable.

A lawyer can help you provide an estimate to the courts of how much your future medical expenses might amount to.

3. Prescription Costs

When medical issues continue, it is likely that prescriptions will be needed—most often, pain medication. Over a long period of time, these expenses can add up to a considerable cost and must be factored into the damages to prevent further financial loss.

4. Rehabilitation Expenses

Some accidents can render a claimant permanently disabled or with the inability to ever return to their original fit state, and, in such cases, rehabilitation will be needed. Even minor injuries such as breaks and strains may need rehabilitation in terms of physiotherapy. Rehab can be very costly, and a lawyer can ensure that current and future expenses are claimed to cover this.

5. Housekeeping Costs

In the event of an accident that injures the claimant physically to the extent that they cannot continue to maintain their home, a regular housekeeper may be needed. The cost of housekeeping can be claimed through damages to maintain the environment for the injured party.

6. Pain and Suffering

Perhaps most important when considering how an accident affects a person’s life is the pain and suffering that they will face at the time of the accident and in the future. The claimant may end up having anxiety issues, PTSD, or depression. There is a very specific way to work out damages for this kind of hard to measure area and so a personal injury lawyer is imperative to assist.

7. Home Care Costs

In the event of serious disability, a home care worker will be needed long term to help the claimant carry out basic needs. The future cost of home care can be factored into a damage claim.

To maximize your damages, hire a good personal injury lawyer who will help you claim exactly what you’re entitled to.