Victims can seek damages in car accidents including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damage. Car accidents can result in a wide range of personal injury and also cause damage to personal property. Depending on the severity of the accident, personal injuries may be immediately treatable or may require long-term care. The damage done to personal property may be a total loss, or could involve extensive repair work. The lawyers at Bennett Johnson, LLP have over 40 years’ experience seeking complete compensation for all damage inflicted during a car accident for clients in the Oakland, CA, area. 

Injuries From Car Accidents Can be Far Reaching and Extensive

An injury from a motor vehicle accident can be more than just what is visible to the naked eye, or immediately noticed on scene. In many cases, the injuries from a car accident are not known right away, and could have an impact on the victim for years to come:

• In the most severe of cases, such as a traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury, the victim may be unable to return to work. In those cases, it is appropriate to seek damages for lost wages and opportunity for the duration of the victim's life.
• Physical injuries like broken bones or road rash are easy to identify, but many times a car accident can also cause an emotional injury. Victims are entitled to compensation for any emotional and psychological injuries resulting from a car accident.
• When an accident involves the family breadwinner, the entire family suffers along with the victim. The financial strain a family can feel from a car accident involving a high wage earner is very real, and in such cases, compensation is available.
• Relationships between parents and children and between spouses also suffer when someone is hurt in a car accident. These types of injuries are not commonly thought of the instant an accident takes place, but they do occur and should be given consideration when computing total damages.

Types of Injuries Sustained in Car Accidents and How They Affect Victims

Every car accident is different, and victims may sustain any number of injuries. Some of the most common injuries include:

• Neck and Back Pain: This type of injury may not develop until a few days following the accident, but can leave the victim stiff and immobile. Back pain can be one of the most difficult types of pain to treat, and it can also lead to depression or anxiety because some physicians are hesitant to prescribe medication to ease the pain.
• Broken Bones: In order to properly heal, a broken bone has to be reset and given time to mend. In some cases, a complicated surgery may be necessary to fix a broken bone, which can be a traumatic event itself.

Victims can seek damages in car accidents including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damage. 

• Soft Tissue Injuries: When muscles, tendons, and ligaments are stretched beyond their limit, a soft tissue injury can result. These types of injuries can mean long-lasting pain for the victim and typically requires daily medication to treat the pain.
• Burn Injuries: Burns that occur from a fire during a car wreck might require a skin graft to fix, a painful procedure that could still leave permanent scarring. Unsightly scars can cause victims to withdraw from friends and family, leading to social isolation and depression. 
• Brain Injuries: Fractures to the skull, concussions, or having a brain bleed are all forms of brain injuries. These types of injuries typically require surgery and involve a lengthy recovery time, which could include extensive and costly rehabilitative therapy.
• Internal Injuries: Internal organ injuries are common in a car accident, and generally require surgery. 

What Can You Recover in a Car Accident?

Victims of car accidents are entitled to compensation to help them heal. In order to help their clients fully recovery, our lawyers can request recovery of damages for:

• Lost wages.
• Medical care, including therapy and prescriptions.
• Pain and suffering for emotional damage and anguish.
• Punitive damages, which are damages over and above actual damages, and are intended to “punish” the offender. When the actions of the negligent party are so egregious, like in cases of reckless driving or driving under the influence, courts may consider making an award of punitive damages.
• Damage to personal property, such as a vehicle or motorcycle.

Contact Our Office for More Information

Determining what damages are available to a victim of a car crash is complex and requires thoughtful analysis of every aspect of the case. Most cases require presentation of specific evidence that proves the damages sought, and an experienced attorney can help. For more information, contact us online or call Bennett Johnson, LLP at (530) 413-0245.