Can I Sue for Pain and Suffering After a Bicycle Accident?
While many people think about recovering damages for lost income and medical expenses, few think about recouping damages for emotional distress and other intangible losses. Compensable as pain and suffering, although these damages do not involve a monetary loss, they do impact your quality of life. Even though noneconomic damages do not result in a financial loss, the psychological, emotional, and physical harm cannot be understated.
At HGSK Injury Lawyers, our Lancaster bicycle accident lawyers understand the unique challenges presented by a bike accident. Our legal team is dedicated to helping accident victims such as yourself recover the full extent of damages, including pain and suffering damages.
Recovering Pain and Suffering Damages in Lancaster
Pain and suffering describe the emotional and psychological distress caused by a personal injury. Although this is one type of noneconomic damage, the term is often used synonymously to describe these types of nonpecuniary losses. In contrast, economic damages cover the cost for any monetary hardship, such as lost wages, medical expenses, and bike repairs.
In Pennsylvania, pain and suffering damages are generally determined by a jury during a trial. While pain and suffering does not have a financial component, the strain placed upon your relationships with family and friends warrants compensation.
Other types of pain and suffering damages include:
- Emotional distress
- Loss of companionship and society
- Loss of consortium
- Diminished quality of life
- Disfigurement and/or scarring
- Permanent disability
Evidence to Prove Pain and Suffering in a Lancaster Bicycle Accident
Negligence occurs anytime someone breaches the duty of care expected of them, causing harm to another. Many bicycle accidents lack clear evidence, such as video footage, making it more difficult to prove liability. Given that bicyclists lack the protection of an enclosed vehicle, making them more prone to injuries, damages from a bicycle accident are often more extensive.
To ensure maximum compensation following a bicycle accident, we advise the following:
- Document Your Injuries: Take photos of your injuries, including broken bones (which may be visible if the fracture has punctured the skin), traumatic amputations, and lacerations and abrasions.
- Begin keeping a pain journal: Start keeping a pain journal to track your physical and emotional recovery, recording your pain levels at certain times.
- Obtain witness testimony: Ask a family member or friend to testify regarding how your injuries have impacted your life.
- Gather your medical records: Medical imaging will show the severity of your injuries, as well as procedures and prescriptions to treat your condition. In conjunction with medical expert testimony, your medical records can clearly demonstrate the emotional and psychological impact of your accident.
Contact a Lancaster Bicycle Accident Attorney Today
Biking can be a relaxing and cost-effective way to travel, but it comes with inherent risks. At HGSK Injury Lawyers, our legal team understands the complexities of proving negligence in a bicycle accident. If you or a loved one has recently been injured while cycling, our legal team would like to hear from you. To learn more, contact us online or give us a call at (267) 551-8782 today. We offer free consultations.