Almost all accident victims will agree that an accident produces a great deal of pain and suffering. However, this term has a legal meaning and can result in the payment of large sums of money to an accident victim. To learn more about what goes into pain and suffering payments, read on.

Payment for Misery

If you have been injured in a car accident, you will probably be miserable. Most people are shocked at how uncomfortable life can be when you must deal with an injury. Just being in the hospital is a miserable situation. You may be at the mercy of others to help you sit up, eat, take medicine, walk, and more. The misery doesn't end when you are released from the hospital. It just shifts to more pain and suffering as you attempt to get around, miss income from your job, deal with a lack of transportation, and more.

Pain and suffering are all of that and more. Your accident injuries can also affect your emotions. You may be depressed and not realize why you can't get back to normal again. You may be suffering from eating and sleeping problems as well. Some people have so much anxiety after a car accident that they are unable to drive a car again. Another issue is the disappointment you experience when you cannot attend your child's games, take part in an important company event, enjoy a well-deserved vacation, and more, all because of a careless driver.

How Are Pain and Suffering Paid For?

This form of damage is non-economic, unlike something like your medical expenses or your lost wages from your job. That means that lawyers and insurance adjusters have come up with ways to calculate pain and suffering in various ways. One way uses a per diem model that assigns a dollar amount to each day you have suffered since the day of the accident. One other common way is to base payment for pain and suffering on the dollar amount of the victim's medical bills. That then is multiplied by a factor to arrive at a figure. In many cases, pain and suffering will amount to more than your medical bills and wrecked vehicle combined. It's a valuable form of damage that is only available if you seek legal action against the driver and their insurer.

To learn more about pain and suffering and how it will affect your case, speak to a personal injury lawyer.