Put the Right Attorneys On Your Side
At Thorp Law, our personal injury attorneys in Raleigh NC abides by three
key principles for every case: commitment, belief, and empathy. Whether
we are standing up to insurance companies and negligent corporations on
behalf of our injured clients, or protecting property owners' rights against
eminent domain, our values never change. We strive to be a dependable
support system for the North Carolinians we serve, committed to ensuring
their comfort and peace of mind during a very difficult time. Watch this
video to learn more about our firm and what we bring to the table.
What Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Do?
When you are injured due to negligence, there are an overwhelming amount
of details that you may be responsible for addressing if you are seeking
compensation for your injuries. A personal injury lawyer has valuable
experience that will make filing for an injury claim a smooth process.
Personal injury lawyers can work to negotiate damages with insurance companies
who may be refusing to compensate you fairly for your injury claim.
Damages are the compensation available to injury victims. Generally, damages
can be broken down into two broad categories, compensatory damages and
punitive damages. Compensatory damages are damages that seek to compensate
the injured party for their losses while punitive damages seek to punish
the negligent party for their reckless actions. Since punitive damages
can be quite severe they are not often awarded.
Insurance companies use the following parameters to determine the damages
in an injury claim. Both special and general damages are compensatory damages:
-
Special Damages- These types of losses are also referred to as "economic damages".
They define measurable amounts of money or property that you may have
lost as a result of negligence.
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General Damages- These types of losses are also referred to as "non-economic damages".
General damages define the types of losses that you've experienced that
are intangible as a result of negligence, such a trauma or pain and suffering.
Recovering Lost Wages After an Accident
Accident victims often suffer injuries so severe that they are unable to
perform their job duties. A broken leg or damaged spinal cord can keep
you out of work for months. If you were employed at the time of an injury,
you are entitled to damages for
lost wages. These damages are equal to the number of working wages you lost while
recovering. Unemployed accident victims can obtain damages for
loss of wage-earning capacity. Medical impairment, functional ability, and vocational skills are considered
if you were out-of-work when the accident occurred. In either case, be
assertive when you talk to the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Adjusters often downplay claims for lost wages, especially when you were
unemployed at the time of injury.
Accident victims need to take the following steps in order to prove damages
for lost wages:
- Obtain copies of your medical records
- Record the dates you were unable to work
- Note the time and dates you received medical treatment
- Keep any correspondence between you and your employer
- Save medical bills
- Obtain a statement from your employer indicating when you were scheduled
to work and the amount of money you would have earned
If you were injured in a car crash or another type of accident, you may
be able to recover lost wages. An experienced personal injury lawyer can
help you obtain compensation. Thorp Law has vast experience fighting for
accident victims and guiding them through the legal process. Our team
of lawyers will stand up to the insurance company so you can obtain fair
compensation.