
In 2023, a total of 46,199 car crashes were investigated in Ohio by State Highway Patrol. These collisions were the result of a variety of negligent actions, including driving while distracted or intoxicated, speeding, and not giving fellow motorists the right-of-way. Furthermore, a large portion of them resulted in injuries that led to costly medical bills and significant suffering.
If you have been involved in a car accident and sustained injuries and other substantial losses, you may be entitled to file a claim against the other party to recover damages. These damages can be economic, covering your financial losses (like medical expenses), and non-economic, covering unquantifiable losses like pain and suffering.
At Schiff & Associates Co., L.P.A., our team of car accident lawyers can help you understand your rights. Below, you’ll learn more about pain and suffering damages and how they’re calculated to offer fair compensation.
What Is Pain and Suffering?
Often, people think that “pain and suffering” is connected to medical expenses, but it is, in fact, categorized under a separate category of losses. Pain and suffering refers to the mental and physical anguish that you experienced because of the injuries you sustained.
For example, if you were rear-ended and suffered a neck injury, all of the pain that you experienced while getting medical care and while recovering would count toward these damages. You can also claim mental suffering if you are dealing with PTSD, depression, or anxiety as a result of the accident.
Pain and suffering isn’t always simple to put a number to, however, so it’s important to determine how compensation for such damages is calculated.
Calculating Pain and Suffering Damages
Pain and suffering damages are subjective; they don’t come with a set price tag. To put a number to what you’ve experienced, car accident lawyers and insurers employ one of two main methods:
The Multiplier Method
Through the multiplier method, your car accident attorney will take the economic damages you’ve suffered and multiply the value of them by a specific factor. Usually, the factor will range anywhere from 1.5 to 5, with the severest injuries receiving the latter multiplier.
For example, suppose that, as a result of your becoming paralyzed, your economic damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, and lost earning potential add up to $100,000. As paralysis (partial or full) is a serious injury, you’ll likely be able to multiply the economic damages by five, meaning you could receive up to $500,000 for your pain and suffering.
Per-Diem Method
Another method that your car accident lawyer and an insurer will use to calculate your pain and suffering damages is the per-diem method, which sets a rate for each day that you’ve been in pain. Sometimes, that rate takes the form of your daily wages, but serious injuries can go beyond that.
Let’s say that your daily rate is $200 and it is clear that you’ll be in pain for approximately 100 days. Your pain and suffering damages would come out to be $200,000. The formula can get complicated when dealing with injuries that will last for the rest of your life, but there are still tried-and-true ways of getting an accurate amount.
Choose Reliable Ohio Car Accident Lawyers
One of the first things you need to do after being in a car crash is to contact a car accident attorney for help. At Schiff & Associates Co., L.P.A., we can assess your claim and fight for maximum compensation.
We have decades of combined experience helping the people of Ohio deal with the aftermath of car accidents. That, combined with our dedication to our clients, has helped us recover hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and jury awards. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a car accident lawyer.