The fact that an accident victim has suffered emotional harm could increase the value of any claim, even if the claimant has not chosen to file a lawsuit.
A claimant or plaintiff might seek compensation for the psychological effects of an accident-caused injury.
• Trouble sleeping qualifies as a psychological effectso does the repeated occurrence of bad dreams.
• Fear could be pointed to as a psychological problem, especially if it morphed into a phobia.
• Anxiety could trigger the performance of unacceptable behaviors, such as excessive anger. Some psychologists focus on anger management.
• An injury might cause depression; a disability might become a source of humiliation. A psychologist’s assistance could be needed, if someone wanted to overcome either of those problems.
How to offer evidence of emotional stress?
Entries in a journal could serve as evidence. Testimony from friends, neighbors and co-workers could add support to a claim that pointed to emotional harm. Their testimony could offer insight into the plaintiff’s attitude before the accident.
How could emotions increase the value of a personal injury case?
Your displayed emotions could offer proof of the accident’s ongoing effects. These emotions might reflect the fact that the plaintiff’s life has been altered greatly by the accident’s occurrence. A claimant or plaintiff that hopes to add value to a case by claiming emotional harm must show that the emotional problems came after the accident. This can prove a challenge, if a teen or pre-teen has been involved in a car accident.
The hormones of teens and pre-teenaged youth can affect their displays of emotion. That is why it helps to have a child seen by a specialist, such as a pediatric neurologist. Such a specialist could detect physical abnormalities that might indicate the presence of a brain injury. Even if there is no immediate proof of a brain injury, mention of emotional harm indicates the possible existence of damage to the brain. Once that possibility has been suggested, the suggestion opens the door to introduction of late-developing symptoms.
A specialist would know best whether or not a treated youth had achieved the stage of maximum medical improvement. A personal injury lawyer in Inglewood knows that the specialist’s words could be used to support a request for the extension of the deadline for filing a lawsuit. Why could that prove important?
A parent should not need to sign a release, if he or she suspected the existence of a head injury in a son or daughter. The insurance should be held responsible for any damage done to the youth’s brain at the time of a collision. The act of highlighting emotional harm suffered by a son or daughter could serve as a means for showcasing the possible existence of still-undetected, or unconfirmed brain injury.