If you’ve recently suffered a personal injury, you’re going to want to hire a personal injury lawyer in Toronto for some assistance. Getting a personal injury lawyer is something that will have your stress levels drastically reduced. No one wants to be trying to navigate the legal system when they’ve just been injured, and by getting a lawyer, you’ll maximize the amount of compensation available to you.
There are a couple of things to consider when you’re wondering about how much compensation you might need to get through your personal injury:
- The amount of pain and suffering you’ll be dealing with
- The number of bills you’ll be dealing with that pertain to medical costs, rehab costs, and having to hire a personal care attendant
- The costs of home care and housekeeping
- How long you won’t be able to work for
- The effect that your injuries have on members of your family
When you hear the term ‘damages’ that is referring to the compensation that you’ll be entitled to for your personal injury. Tallying up the damages isn’t a black and white concept, and it can be quite complicated for the court system to put a number on the amount of compensation that pertains to different people’s levels of pain and suffering.
Pain And Suffering
When you’re going through a personal injury claim with your personal injury lawyer in Toronto, your pain and suffering will be scrutinized and assessed. Some things that will be analyzed are:
- The level of pain and suffering you’re dealing with as a result of the injury
- How the quality of your life has been impacted
- If the duration of your life is expected to be less
- If you’re unable to develop a relationship with someone because of your personal injury or pain and suffering
It’s extremely complex to calculate pain and suffering. Everyone’s pain and suffering are different, and everyone also deals with pain and suffering much differently. One person’s pain and suffering might be nothing compared to a different person that can navigate through it easier.
You can’t simply compare the cost of pain and suffering in the same way as something like a rehab appointment. The limit for pain and suffering damages used to be set at $100,000 back in 1978, but that number has increased over the years, and if you consider inflation, that would be nearly $390,000 nowadays. $390,000 is the number that’s for people that are experiencing the absolute maximum level of pain and suffering.
A lot of the time, injuries like fractured bones don’t even reach anywhere near that limit. The maximum limit of pain and suffering usually refers to injuries that result in permanent, lifelong damage such as paralysis.
Compensation For Rehab, Medical Bills, And Personal Care
When people are going through a personal injury, they won’t be able to work and support themselves like they used to. Figuring out the costs for your rehabilitation, medical bills, and personal care is a little easier than it is for pain and suffering.
Throughout your personal injury, you’ll be compensated for all of your medical bills and personal care. You’ll also be compensated for things like:
- Medical appointments
- Physio
- Fees associated with your personal care worker
- Other out-of-pocket expenses
You’ll want to save every single receipt that you have throughout your personal injury. Even if you’ve purchased a $5 bottle of Tylenol, you’ll want to keep the receipt for that. The costs for rehab are fairly straightforward to calculate, and most people find this to be easy because you’ll be billed every time you visit your physiotherapist.
Housekeeping Expenses
Another fairly straightforward cost that you’ll be compensated for is housekeeping expenses. These are the expenses that are related to you having to pay someone to come in and maintain the upkeep of your home. If you live in a home that has a driveway that you’re not able to shovel anymore, you’ll have to pay someone to do it for you. This expense would be compensated back to you.
If you’re unable to clean your home anymore due to your personal injury, this is another example of a housekeeping expense that would be compensated back to you. You’ll want to make sure that you keep all of your receipts for housekeeping expenses along the way.
The costs of housekeeping also look well into the future. If your personal injury is a serious one that isn’t healing properly, then you’ll have to be paying for housekeeping for the foreseeable future. This can sometimes cause confusion for some people, so you’ll want to consult with a personal injury lawyer in Toronto for more information on it.
Loss Of Income
Loss of income is another element that many people dealing with a personal injury have to think about. If you were severely injured and you’re unable to get to work anymore, your personal injury claim will need to include your salary into the equation. You’ll most likely have to provide proof of your salary before your personal injury, and that proof can come in the form of a previous tax return or employment record. For personal injuries caused by a vehicle, you’ll only be able to get up to 70% of the compensation that your last job paid.
Some people will be unable to work for quite some time because of their personal injuries. If this is the case for you, an expert will have to regularly assess your ability to work and gain income. Sometimes a personal injury can also affect your ability to be competitive for promotions or raises in your current job. All of these things need to be considered for the compensation you’re entitled to.
How Your Personal Injury Affects Your Family
Compensation might also be provided to your family throughout your personal injury depending on how much it affects them. If your family is spending a tremendous amount of time caring for your needs, transporting you around, and being your caregiver, then they may be entitled to compensation. Some of the things that your family members might be able to claim are:
- Plane ticket expenses
- Hotel expenses
- Ongoing medical fees related to your personal injury
- Income loss that your family members deal with
If your personal injury has caused your relationship with a family member to suffer in any way, this is another cost your family might be able to get compensation for. A personal injury can cause a tremendous amount of pain and suffering in any relationship, and that’s a huge burden that can draw families apart.
If you’re looking for a personal injury lawyer in Toronto that can help you navigate the complicated aspects of your personal injury, you’ll want to consult with a lawyer at GSK Personal Injury Law.