Pain and suffering refers to both emotional and physical discomfort brought on by an accident and subsequent injury. Physical pain, which can limit ability, interfere with work, family and social life, and cause unrelenting agony, is a common consequence of accidents. Emotional pain, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and similar concerns is a common consequence of accidents as well.
If your accident resulted in physical and/or emotional struggle, you may be entitled to seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. The best way to find out is through a one-on-one consultation with an experienced and dedicated attorney.
Insurance and Pain and Suffering
Insurance companies typically use a “pain and suffering calculator” to determine how much a claim is worth. With this method, the total cost of your hospital bills is multiplied by a predetermined number. Unfortunately, this one-size-fits-all method of calculating what a claim is worth often woefully underestimates a claim’s true value, leaving victims without the fair and full compensation they deserve. This is why many people choose to sue instead of settle when they are involved in an accident.
Working with an attorney is a good idea on several fronts. First and foremost, it is important to remember that insurance companies are for-profit corporations. They have boards of directors and stakeholders who demand profits. They have some of the most highly paid executives in the corporate world and have boasted record-breaking profits for several years running. These are not the markings of companies that provide true compensation for victims of serious injury.
Having an attorney means having someone who will protect you against the predatory and coercive tactics insurance companies use to convince victims of serious injury to forego legal action. It means you have someone on your side who not only understands the law, but what claims like yours are really worth. And it means that you have someone fighting for your rights and seeking maximum compensation for things like pain and suffering, which are often overlooked by insurance adjusters.
Do you need a lawyer? Call the Illinois office of Brown & Brown at 618-888-8888 or our St. Louis office at 314-333-3333 to schedule a free case review and learn more.
