Types of Damages Eligible in West Linn Car Accidents
In car accident cases in West Linn, victims can be eligible to pursue and receive two types of compensation. Both types are designed to compensate the victim for their losses:
Economic Damages: compensate an injured plaintiff for direct financial losses, such as medication costs, hospitalization stays, surgery bills and lost wages. Economic damages are defined by Oregon law as “objectively verifiable monetary losses including but not limited to reasonable charges necessarily incurred for medical, hospital, nursing and rehabilitative services and other health care services, burial and memorial expenses, loss of income and past and future impairment of earning capacity”.
Noneconomic Damages: compensate an injured plaintiff for more subjective losses such as emotional trauma or distress. Oregon law defines these as “subjective, non-monetary losses, including but not limited to pain, mental suffering, emotional distress, humiliation”. These damages are more difficult to quantify, as emotional pain can be traumatic and long-lasting, as well as difficult to recover from.
Helpful Tips to Know for Car Accident Victims
The first piece of advice we can offer to you is to call an experienced and well-reviewed car accident attorney. Even if you decide that you will not hire an attorney, you can gain important insight and vital information. There are a few more helpful tips to know:
- Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company before first contacting a car accident attorney
- Report the accident to your insurance company as soon as possible
- File an official accident report through DMV within 72 hours of the accident
- Gather photos of the at-fault driver’s license, vehicle damage, insurance info
- Try to say as little as possible to the other driver regarding the details of how the accident happened
Common Causes of West Linn Car Accidents
Car accidents can be so varied in both their occurrences and results, but they also can be quite similar. Listed below are some of the most common causes of car accidents:
- Speeding
- Illegal lane changes
- Following too closely behind
- Driving too fast for the current conditions
- Distracted driving
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