When it comes to head injuries, things can quickly get complex due to the vast diversity when it comes to visibility, severity, symptoms, and recovery experiences. Some people with head injuries report severe bleeding with little consequences and quick healing periods, while others report no visible symptoms, but severe consequences with long term symptoms. This is because head injuries go hand in hand with traumatic brain injuries which can lead to cognitive impairments, amnesia, and other severe consequences which can change a person’s entire life.
If you have sustained a head injury as the result of an accident, then you may be in a position in which you can file a personal injury claim as means of getting compensation for your losses. Receiving a fair settlement can have a deep impact on recovering from your injury and overcoming potential long-term financial debt brought on by medical expenses, income loss, and other financial hardships which have popped up as a side-effect of your accident.
Out of court vs in court settlements
The general consensus is that pretrial settlement is preferable since it will save not just the plaintiff, but also the defendant a lot of time and money. Litigation is costly and associated with a lot of commuting back and forth. As a result, it requires both parties to take time off of work or otherwise miss out on events in their daily lives in order to appear before the judge or jury. It should also be mentioned that in court settlements are often less satisfactory for both sides. When you work with an injury lawyer in St. Albert, they would explain to you the intricacies of the law, the process of filing a claim and how they handle all aspects of the case.
Special damages and general damages
Also referred to as economic losses, special damages serve the purpose of compensating the plaintiff for their out of pocket expenses, such as income losses, medical expenses, damage to their property, and in cases in which a wrongful death has occurred, burial and other funeral expenses, among others.
Non-economic losses, or general damages, try to compensate for losses that are not easily comparable to monetary value due to their subjective nature. In this case we are talking about pain and suffering, loss of companionship, humiliation, emotional distress, mental anguish, and many others.
Factors which can heavily influence your future settlement:
• Overall health and medical history of the plaintiff
• Liability
• The conduct expressed by the defendant which lead to the injury
• Whether or not the plaintiff has done their best to mitigate their losses