4 Tips For Negotiating Pain And Suffering After An Auto Accident

One of the more difficult things to get reimbursed for after a car accident is pain and suffering. While hard costs, like vehicle damage, medical costs, and lost income, are easy to document, pain and suffering can seem more amorphous. The following tips, along with the help of an auto accident attorney, can help you create a case so you get what you deserve for the trials you faced.

Tip #1: Collect Documentation

Although it is more difficult to document pain and suffering, it isn't impossible. Begin with creating a pain and recovery journal. Write in this journal daily, documenting pain levels for the day, time spent on recovery-based therapies (either at home or travel to appointments), and any special challenges you faced. If you must miss important events, keep a copy of the invitations or programs.

Tip #2: Draw a Line and Get Personal

Your life likely falls into two main categories now – before the accident and after the accident. You will need to be fully open about the affects the "after" has had on your personal life. Has it affected your intimate relationship with your spouse or significant other? Does it prevent you from engaging in activities that made up the bulk of your free time previously? Pain and suffering is best illustrated by showing the court what you have lost, or what you are having to fight to regain. This isn't the time to be shy.

Tip #3: Put a Price on Your Time

Suffering isn't just measured in pain, but in lost time. Everything you are putting into your recovery is time you are losing that you can never get back. This is one reason why you need to document the time spent visiting doctors, therapists, and performing therapies at home. This is time you could have otherwise spent connecting with loved ones or participating in a previously enjoyed activity. Don't minimize the importance of your time – make sure you document the way you now have to spend it.

Tip #4: Make Your Needs Clear

The simplest way to make your needs clear to the court or insurance adjuster is through your lawyer. They can help you give an appropriate voice to your pain and suffering. This is an emotional topic, which means it can be too easy to fall into negative behaviors, such as accusations and raised voices, that could hurt your case. A lawyer can help you control your emotions while still conveying the severity of your loss and pain. Contact a local auto accident attorney for more help. To learn more, contact someone like Gelman Gelman Wiskow & McCarthy LLC.

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