Personal injury law covers a broad spectrum of injuries, losses, and damages. The general perception is that it mostly applies to physical injury or bodily harm. This is far from the truth. With personal injury law, any damage or inconvenience, whether physical, mental, emotional, or property, caused by the negligence of a person, business, or entity can be pursued for compensation. Car accidents lawsuits usually involve some degree of bodily injury to the victim. Medical reports often support these claims of injury and consequent investigation proves the fault of the accused compelling them to write a check. However, in a situation where the victim asks “can I sue after a car accident if I was not hurt?”, it is not always so straightforward but the answer is still emphatically yes for the following reasons.
Property Damage Is Also Considered Personal Injury
As earlier stated, bodily harm is just one of several types of injury a person can sustain in a car accident. The damage inflicted upon the victim’s vehicle, no matter how small, is considered an injury and should be paid for. If a collision occurs due to the negligence of the accused, their insurance company is expected to pay for the damages to the victim’s car. And if they don’t have insurance they will have to pay out of pocket. The damages could also be to other personal effects like phones, eyewear, and the like. As long as there is a loss due to the negligence of the driver or guilty party, the victim can pursue compensation.
Disruption Of Normal Daily Life
Injury can also be in the victim’s pockets. A car accident that doesn’t hurt the victim’s body can affect their livelihood. The expenses incurred from a car accident can greatly deplete one’s financial resources. These are expenses that were unplanned and caused by another personality. For this reason, the victim is very much within his rights to pursue legal action and demand compensation. For instance, a person whose car has been damaged has been rendered helpless in terms of transportation. They may not be able to travel to work, take their kids to school, rush to a hospital in the event of an emergency or simply go about their day in their typical fashion. This is a complete disruption of their daily lives. If they cannot get to work, they won’t get paid thus losing their salary. The perpetrator may be required to pay for repairs to the vehicle and provide an alternative for the victim to use in the meantime. No bodily harm and yet a very good reason to pursue legal action.
Emotional And Psychological Damages
Another kind of personal injury or damage that is not bodily but yet good for compensation is emotional and psychological damage. A lot of victims report emotional and psychological trauma in the aftermath of a car accident. The fear and terror of almost being badly wounded or even worse, dying has left many a victim with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, panic attacks, and even depression. These kinds of reactions are very common and often also qualify for recoverable damages. The victim will have to provide evidence of these damages by way of medical reports from doctors and psychotherapists who will back up their claims of emotional trauma. Because these conditions cannot be quantified, it is not easy to define what the right amount of compensation should be. However, with a good lawyer, the victim will always come out a winner.
Conclusion
They can affect all areas of a person’s life without hurting the body at all. Pursuing legal action is certainly within the rights of a person whose life has been disrupted by the negligence of another person.