When you’re injured at sea, you might be able to recover damages for maintenance and cure, which will hopefully offset your medical expenses and any lost wages. But the harm caused by your injuries can be more extensive than that. Your injuries can also leave you with lingering pain, and trying to figure out how to get by in the aftermath of your accident can take a mental toll. You should be compensated for these damages, too.
But how do you go about proving your pain and suffering damages? Let’s take a closer look.
Tips for proving your noneconomic damages
Pain and suffering damages can make up a significant portion of your Jones Act claim. There are many aspects to these damages, too, including mental anguish, emotional distress, embarrassment, and disfigurement. To prove those damages, you’ll want to look in the following places for evidence:
- Testimony from family members and friends who have seen the true toll that your injuries have taken on you.
- Your own personal account of how your normal life has been negatively impacted by the harm that’s been caused to you.
- A journal that you keep which details the effects your injuries have had on your life.
- Medical records that portray the pain and anguish that you’ve been experiencing.
Don’t present anything less than the most thorough maritime law claim
The harm you’ve suffered can reshape life as you know it. To try to retain control over your recovery, you need a robust recovery. In order to obtain that outcome, though, you’ll need to pursue an aggressive and thorough claim that focuses on each aspect of the law and the full extent of your damages. Only then will you be able to rest assured that you’ve done everything you can to protect your recovery and your future.