You may have heard of damages for pain and suffering. These aren’t directly monetary, but they can include emotional trauma or loss of consortium. Despite the lack of monetary value, these losses are still losses that an injured person deserves compensation for. So, is pain and suffering separate from medical bills? Read on to find out. Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the difference between pain and suffering damages and medical bills.
Pain and suffering is an important part of a medical bill, but it can be a separate claim. While medical bills are a big part of it, they do not cover the entire cost of treatment. This is where legal representation comes into play. Many insurance companies treat pain and suffering as a separate category from medical bills, but they aren’t always willing to give you the full value. Pain and suffering isn’t always measurable in dollars, so it’s best to have an attorney with you to help you prove the claim.
In most cases, pain and suffering claims are calculated according to a multiplier method. This method involves multiplying the total economic damages by a certain number, which can range anywhere from 1.5 to five. The multiplier number used is dependent on the severity of the injury. If you suffered a serious, life-altering injury, you might be eligible for pain and suffering damages in excess of four or five. This is the case in many personal injury cases, where pain and suffering damages exceed medical bills.
