Is Pain and Suffering Separate from Medical Bills? | DUI Causing Injury

By On Jan 17, 2021

Car accidents in California can cause injuries and other serious problems. Some drivers experience pain and suffering even after a collision. In Los Angeles, is pain and suffering separate from medical expenses?

Medical bills, pain, and losses vary after a car accident, including accidents caused by driving under the influence (DUI). Medical bills are an example of economic loss, while pain and suffering are not economic losses. This article will tell you more about the differences between these losses.

Economic losses and medical expenses in Los Angeles

Let’s look at the facts about medical expenses after a DUI accident in Los Angeles. As mentioned earlier, these expenses are considered economic losses. Economic losses have easy-to-understand financial value. Other examples of economic losses are:

The cost of repairing a motor vehicle
Wages lost at work while recovering from injury

Drivers are usually billed for their economic losses. There are many potential medical costs a driver could incur following a DUI accident in California. Drivers can try to get compensation to help their:

Emergency medical care.
Time in hospital.
Operations and other procedures.
Rehabilitation and medication.

All of these costs can be covered by the driver who caused the collision in Los Angeles.

Noneconomic losses and pain and suffering

Pain and suffering are not economic losses, so they do not have a clear dollar value. These losses represent damage not related to bills. However, this does not mean that they are not covered after an accident.

In most cases, drivers receive compensation for their pain and suffering. Non-economic losses are usually calculated after economic losses. Insurance agents in California often use the multiplier method to make these calculations.

Using the multiplier method is easy. An insurance company takes the amount of a driver’s economic losses and multiplies it by a multiplier. The multiplier for non-economic damage can be between 1.5 and 5. More serious accidents generally result in a higher multiplier, which means that drivers generally receive more compensation for non-economic damage.

Contact a Los Angeles attorney for more information about non-economic damage after a DUI accident. Find out more about your case by calling (310) 862-0199. A member of our team can explain damage related to accidents in California.

Other types of damage for a DUI accident

The Los Angeles court can also award exemplary damages to drivers after an accident. Exemplary damage does not cover a driver’s loss in an accident. Instead, they should punish the person who caused the accident.

After an accident, lawyers can immediately prove who caused a collision in California. Lawyers can:

Investigate the scene of the accident.
Speak to witnesses.
Check the police reports of the collision.

These steps are very important, especially if you are accused of causing a crash. Sometimes police officers accuse drivers of causing an accident if they were drinking at the time of the collision. Alcohol alone does not cause an accident.

An attorney can take steps to show that another driver caused the collision, which can help you avoid a payout. Talk to us if you were accused of a DUI at the time of the crash.

Compensation for a DUI accident in Los Angeles

The driver who caused an accident may need to compensate anyone injured in the collision. In many cases, insurance companies take over these payments. Insurance companies offer compensation through settlements. Your insurance company can put up with other drivers you’ve met.

You can also apply for compensation from another insurance company if someone else caused your accident. Your claim can even go to the California courts. In this situation, fees under Section 23153 of the California Vehicle Code may apply.

A lawyer can assist you with handling these criminal charges as well as your civil action. Your lawyer can help you avoid penalties such as jail time, fines, and restrictions on your driving license. Get full legal advice now by contacting us.

Find out if pain and suffering are kept separate from medical bills

Pain and suffering after a DUI accident in Los Angeles are compensated separately from medical bills. Medical bills are economic losses. Pain and suffering are non-economic losses. Contact a DUI attorney in Los Angeles for information on understanding different types of post-collision compensation. We are ready to evaluate your case now with a free consultation.