Being injured due to the negligent or wrongful act of another can be devastating. A personal injury suit is a means for injured individuals to seek damages for the injuries sustained and the expenses that result. When most people think of injuries, they often think of physical injuries — a broken limb, a concussion or some other physical ailment. But injuries are not always physical. An accident often leads to mental suffering, which needs to be taken just as seriously as physical injuries.
Types of Damages
Victims in a personal injury suit can seek damages in a variety of categories. In general, there are two main types of damages — economic and non-economic. Economic damages cover medical bills, prescription costs, property damage, lost wages, and any other treatments or bills resulting from the injury. Non-economic damages are those damages that do not have a set figure from a bill or other record. Instead, non-economic damages can cover pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment, or other mental anguish that results from the injury.
Pain and Suffering
One of the main categories of damages in personal injury suits in Florida is pain and suffering. Pain and suffering can of course include the physical injuries, but it also includes the mental anguish that can accompany an injury. Mental anguish can incorporate a wide variety of issues that affect one’s mental state. Anxiety, fear, a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, loss of appetite and grief are just a few of the issues that might arise after an accident. Additionally, emotional distress is another common type of pain and suffering. There are many different ways that emotional distress can present itself:
- Resentment toward others
- Embarrassment over the injury and changes in one’s life
- Anger over the limitations resulting from the injury
- Sadness because of the injury and its subsequent effects
It is important to evaluate mental pain as well as physical pain after an injury. While you can see physical injuries with your eyes, changes in one’s mental state might not be as easy to observe or diagnose. Additionally, people tend to downplay their symptoms of mental pain and suffering and do not get them thoroughly checked out. Mental pain needs to be taken just as seriously as physical pain. If you never seek treatment for any mental pain that results from an accident, it is unlikely that you can ever reach a full recovery.
If you have suffered an injury because of the negligent or wrongful act of another, you might be entitled to compensation through a personal injury suit. Regardless of the injury type, physical or mental, the personal injury attorneys at Dennis Hernandez & Associates are here to help you. We want you to recover as quickly as possible and be able to live the life you lived prior to the injury. Contact us today for a consultation.
