If you win your personal injury lawsuit, you may recover compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. While it is easy to calculate how much you should receive for the monetary damages that are economic damages, it is not so easy to do so for non-monetary damages that are non-economic damages. Follow along to find out how you can receive compensation for you non-economic damages like pain and suffering and how a proficient Hillsborough County personal injury lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A., can help you in achieving this.
What is considered pain and suffering after an accident?
Pain and suffering refers to both the physical pain and suffering and the mental pain and suffering that you experience in the aftermath of your accident. For one, physical pain and suffering entails the discomfort you feel from your injuries. This has detrimental effects on your ability to provide companionship or services to your loved ones or overall to carry out your day-to-day activities.
On the other hand, mental pain and suffering is the mental anguish you feel from your physical injuries. This may cause you to suffer from emotional distress, a loss of enjoyment of life, fear, anger, embarrassment, anxiety, depression, or any other negative emotion.
Can I receive compensation for my pain and suffering after my accident?
Like any other state, Florida judges do not have a formula to follow when it comes to calculating non-economic damages. This is vastly different from economic damages, which can easily be totaled by the medical bills, property damage estimates, past pay stubs, etc. that are submitted during the personal injury case proceedings.
So, when it comes to computing how much financial compensation to grant a plaintiff for their pain and suffering, Florida judges typically instruct the juries to use their best, fairest, and most reasonable judgment. With this, the Florida juries will take many non-tangible pieces of evidence into account, which may include, but may not be limited to, the following:
- Their determination of whether you gathered good or bad witness testimonies.
- Their determination of whether you gathered good or bad evidence to support your argument.
- Their determination of whether you are likable or credible.
- Their determination of whether you are exaggerating your injuries and your pain and suffering.
- Their determination of whether you are speaking the whole truth regarding your accident, injuries, and damages.
- Their determination of whether your diagnosis is accurate,
- Whether or not you have a criminal record.
Nonetheless, you must present yourself and your case properly to the Florida judge and jury so that you can have a chance at receiving financial compensation for your pain and suffering. We recommend that you contact a talented Hillsborough County personal injury lawyer who is ready and willing to help you in preparing for your upcoming proceedings.
