Paying for a car accident in Georgia, even with insurance, can be a pricey undertaking. Even when you combine the cost of deductibles, hospital bills, and lost wages, there's also something to be said for lost time and emotional stress.
If you sustained a serious injury in your Atlanta car accident, you are entitled to financial relief from the liable party. It's important to know how much you or your family members can be awarded based on the extent of your injury. The Federal Highway Administration breaks it out into 6 categories. These indicators date to 1994, and should be adjusted for inflation.
They are as follows:
- Minor Injury: $5,000
- Moderate Injury: $40,000
- Serious Injury: $150,000
- Severe Injury: $490,000
- Critical Injury: $1.98 million
- Fatal Injury: $2.6 million
Be aware of these figures so that if you are injured in an Atlanta, Georgia car accident, you receive a settlement that will cover all your financial costs and account for loss of income and quality of life.
There are 3 main ways the Federal Highway Administration gauges car accident costs. Many of these same parameters will be used in your Georgia personal injury claim.
Comprehensive Cost
This places a dollar figure on 11 parts of a person's life that will be affected.
Here are a few:
- Property damage;
- Lost earnings and household production;
- Workplace costs;
- Travel expenses;
- Medical costs; and
- Pain and loss of life.
Years Lost Plus Direct Cost
While this includes many of the same components, it does not assign a dollar figure value to things such as lost earnings, lost household production, and pain and lost quality of life.
Human Capital Cost
This method attributes a monetary value to all the comprehensive cost factors except for pain and lost quality of life.
If you've been injured in a car accident in Georgia, you have the right to be compensated for your injuries. In order to receive a fair settlement, an Atlanta personal injury lawyer will be your best bet. Not only do they have expertise in car accident cases, but will be able to communicate with insurance adjusters and companies to ensure you are properly represented.
In the meantime, there are steps that will help you to preserve your personal injury claim. To learn more, read our full article on what do after an Atlanta car accident.
Contacting an Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer
If you are the victim of someone else's negligence or carelessness, whether in a traffic accident or some other type of accident, you have certain rights guaranteed by law. To help you understand these rights and seek the compensation you may be eligible for to help get your life back in order, contact the Atlanta Law Offices of Sheryl L. Burke for a no cost consultation on your injury case - 404-842-7838.
