Pain and suffering is a legal term that describes the stress someone endures after they’ve been injured. It encompasses both the physical and emotional stress a person undergoes due to an injury-causing event.
This term can be hard to understand because it isn’t necessarily quantifiable. Let’s think about an example:
Susan was in a car accident and sustained injuries. Her broken arm will heal in 4 to 6 weeks, but she has a great deal of scarring from which she’ll never truly recover. She hasn’t slept, still shaky from the trauma.
As you can imagine, Susan has experienced a great deal of stress because of her car accident. At a glance, it doesn’t seem like she has severe injuries. A broken arm isn’t that bad. But when you consider the long-term stress, her situation is much more severe.
This is why it is important to speak with a personal injury lawyer after your accident. One week, even two weeks afterward, you still might not know the full extent of your injuries.
Learn more about the McHenry County & Boone County personal injury attorneys at Franks Gerkin Ponitz Greeley.
