In a personal injury case, quality of life refers to many different facets of a person’s life that can impact their overall well-being. It can refer to many variables in life, including mental and physical health, economic status, social status, job, education, happiness, and sense of security or self-esteem.
If you suffer a serious injury in a personal accident in Phoenix, AZ, the consequences of that injury can impact your quality of life. For example, an injury or resulting disability may prevent you from earning an income, participating in activities you once enjoyed, or maintaining healthy relationships.
If you seek compensation for your injuries through a personal injury claim, you may be able to recover compensation for your losses. These losses are called damages. Understanding damages for loss of quality of life can be a crucial part of a successful personal injury claim.
What Types of Damages Are Available in Personal Injury Cases in Phoenix, AZ?
In Arizona, the main remedies available to personal injury plaintiffs are compensatory damages. These can be split into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages relate to the financial losses caused by an accident. These may include past and future medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, loss of earning potential, and out-of-pocket expenses.
Economic damages are fairly straightforward to calculate, as they will usually relate to specific transactions. You may be able to prove economic damages with receipts, invoices, or other forms of documentation.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages relate to the emotional or psychological losses caused by an accident, including loss of quality of life. Other non-economic damages include pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of companionship, and disability.
Non-economic damages are harder to calculate, as they are based on a plaintiff’s subjective experience after an accident. If you’ve incurred non-economic damages, you may need to provide expert witness testimony or other specialized evidence to support your claims.
What Is Loss of Quality of Life?
Quality of life is subjective and unique to each person’s lifestyle, tastes, and values. One’s quality of life may be determined by hobbies, relationships, aspirations, goals, and general outlook on life. In short, quality of life is made up of the mosaic of things that a person derives purpose and enjoyment from. When an injury or accident detracts from one’s ability to do or enjoy the things they once did, their quality of life may be diminished.
One may experience a loss of quality of life due to a disability, anxiety related to an accident, or physical pain. Loss of quality of life can also be caused by the inability to engage in activities you once enjoyed or were hoping to enjoy in the future. This can include engaging in a certain hobby or having children. One’s quality of life may also be diminished by the death of a loved one or loss of companionship due to a loved one’s injury.
How Are Damages for Reduced Quality of Life Calculated in Arizona?
There is no simple formula for calculating the value of loss of quality of life in Phoenix, AZ. Rather, it is calculated on a case-by-case basis.
There are many factors that must be examined to calculate the value of a loss of quality of life claim, including the victim’s:
- Age
- Work history
- Education
- Personality
- Location
- Social status
- Financial status
Other factors that may be considered include:
- The facts surrounding the accident
- Whether the plaintiff was partially at fault in the accident
- The extent of the injuries
- The expected future consequences of those injuries
The injured party may present evidence of these factors in various ways, including through witness testimony. For example, one might present testimony of someone who knew them before an accident to describe how they have changed since the accident. One may also present expert witness testimony describing the long-term effects of an injury on the plaintiff.
An experienced Phoenix personal injury lawyer will help you gather the appropriate evidence to support your claims.
What Is the Purpose of Awarding Damages for Loss of Quality of Life in Phoenix, AZ?
Damages for loss of quality of life are just one type of compensatory damages. The overarching purpose of compensatory damages is to make the victim “whole again” or return them to the state they were in before an accident.
However, if a victim has suffered a serious injury, it isn’t possible to literally put them back in the state they were before the accident. This is especially true if they’ve suffered significant changes in their life, such as the inability to engage in activities they once enjoyed. Recovering monetary damages for loss of quality of life is one way to help make up for these changes.
Contact an Experienced Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyer for Help With Your Reduced Quality of Life Claim
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Phoenix, AZ, you may be able to recover compensation for damages. Our experienced Phoenix personal injury attorneys are here to help you seek compensation for all of your damages, including loss of quality of life. Contact Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers today at (602) 595-5559 to schedule your free consultation.