Losing the ability to see or hear is a deeply traumatic experience, and it is one of the biggest challenges a person can face during his or her lifetime. The consequences can seem – and in many respects are – immeasurable, and adjusting to life without vision or hearing is a process that is never completely over.
When the loss of vision or hearing is due to a traumatic accident, securing just compensation can be an important step on the long and difficult road to recovery. Under Colorado law, individuals who suffer traumatic injuries in vehicle collisions and other accidents are entitled to seek full compensation for the financial and non-financial costs of their injuries. While the costs of medical treatment and therapy following the loss of vision or hearing can be substantial, they are also just a portion of the losses that most accident victims will be entitled to recover.
Financial Losses Resulting From Vision or Hearing Loss
The financial losses resulting from vision or hearing loss will generally fall into three categories: (i) medical expenses, (ii) loss of income, and (iii) out-of-pocket expenses. Accident victims are entitled to recover their past and future losses in each of these categories; and, in most cases, victims’ future losses will far exceed their losses as of the date they settle or receive a verdict at trial.
- Medical Expenses – Recoverable medical expenses include emergency medical treatment, follow-up care, prescriptions, behavioral medicine, rehabilitational and occupational therapy, and all other medical expenses incurred as a result of the accident.
- Loss of Income – Individuals who lose their vision or hearing in an accident can recover their loss of income to date (i.e. compensation for days missed from work), as well as their loss of future earning capacity.
- Out-of-Pocket Expenses – Recoverable out-of-pocket expenses include everything from gas to get to the doctor’s office to necessary home modifications and the cost to hire someone to mow, provide child care and provide other at-home services.
Recoverable Non-Financial Losses in Auto Accident, Work Accident and Slip-and-Fall Claims
For individuals who lose the ability to see or hear, the non-financial losses stemming from their injury can touch all aspects of their day-to-day lives. In legal terms, many of these consequences are aggregated under the concept of pain and suffering. However, additional non-financial losses can include:
- Emotional trauma
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of services
- Loss of society and companionship
Calculating these losses is not easy, but it is something that must be done. Compensation for non-financial losses will often be calculated as a multiple of the victim’s financial losses, and this means that it will generally make up the largest portion of a personal injury settlement or verdict.
Speak With a Denver Personal Injury Lawyer in Confidence
If you or a loved one has suffered severe and life-changing injuries in a traumatic accident in the Denver area, we encourage you to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. To speak with one of our highly-experienced personal injury lawyers in confidence, please call 303-333-8000 or inquire online today.
