What Does a Car Accident Settlement Cover in New Hampshire?
If you were injured in a New Hampshire car accident, you might be wondering what your settlement will cover. There are all kinds of losses that might be associated with a crash, and these losses can quickly lead to financial turmoil. In situations where there is adequate insurance coverage, a settlement should cover virtually all of your damages – including both financial and psychological issues. If you work alongside an experienced personal injury attorney, you can fight for a fair settlement with greater confidence. As the State of New Hampshire does not require drivers to purchase automobile insurance coverage, we encourage everyone to talk to their own insurance provider about uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
Medical Expenses
A car accident settlement should cover the entirety of your medical expenses. As long as these costs are related to the car accident, they should be covered by the settlement. This includes not only emergency treatment, but also emergency transportation. You might also receive compensation for appointments with specialists – such as chiropractors or physical therapists.
It is generally a good idea to wait until your Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) before pursuing settlement of your claim. Until you reach this point in your recovery, it might be difficult to predict the trust costs of your injuries. At this point in your healing process, your doctors can provide you with an accurate, long-term prognosis.
Missed Wages
You can also recover compensation for missed wages after a car accident if your doctor has taken you out of work due to your crash-related injuries. These losses can be quite significant depending on how long your doctor has taken you out of work. For example, you might miss a few weeks or months of work due to a minor injury. You might also suffer a permanent disability, making it impossible for you to ever work again. Whatever the circumstances might be, your settlement should cover all of your losses.
Non-Economic Damages
Finally, your settlement should cover “non-economic” damages. These are losses of a psychological or emotional nature, and they can be difficult to assess and value. Here are a few examples:
- Emotional distress
- Pain & suffering
- Depression
- Humiliation
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- PTSD
- Anxiety
- Disfigurement
Funeral Costs
If you have lost a loved one to a fatal car accident, you can file a “wrongful death lawsuit.” With this type of lawsuit, you will file on behalf of your deceased loved one. While many of the same damages apply to these lawsuits, you can also recover compensation for funeral expenses – something that is only possible in wrongful death claims. Note that the average cost of a funeral in the United States can be well over $8,000, so this is a damage worth pursuing.
Find an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer in New Hampshire
If you’ve been searching for an experienced Manchester car accident lawyer, look no further than The Law Office of Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira, PLLC. We know that car accidents can lead to serious losses, and we can help you fight for a fair settlement. We have considerable experience with settlement negotiations, and we can push back against lowball offers made by insurance adjusters. Reach out today to get started with an effective action plan.
Sources:
usatoday.com/money/blueprint/life-insurance/how-much-does-a-funeral-cost/#:~:text=How%20much%20does%20the%20average,cremation%20comes%20in%20at%20%246%2C280.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007
