Medical bills come with receipts. Lost wages show up on pay stubs. But how do you put a dollar amount on sleepless nights, chronic pain, or missing your daughter’s soccer season? It’s one of the most common questions we hear at Youd Law, and the answer matters enormously to your recovery.
What Counts as Pain and Suffering
Oregon law calls these “noneconomic damages” (defined in ORS 31.710, available at oregonlegislature.gov), and they cover the human cost of an injury, including:
- Physical pain and ongoing discomfort
- Emotional distress and anxiety
- Loss of enjoyment of everyday activities
- Interference with your relationships and family life
How Insurance Companies and Attorneys Calculate It
There’s no fixed formula. Based on our experience, factors include
- Injuries sustained
- Invasiveness of treatment
- Permanency of condition and any disabilities
- Future medical treatment expected
- Whether there is any disfigurement
- Any loss of use of any part of the body.
Insurance companies almost always start low. The strength of your evidence, from medical records to personal journals, is what pushes that number toward what your suffering is “worth.” That’s true whether you were hurt in a car accident, a slip and fall, or a bicycle or pedestrian accident.
Let Us Fight for Your Full Story
Lance Youd makes sure insurance companies see you as a person, not a claim number. Your case review is free, and you pay nothing unless we win. Contact Youd Law today to find out what your claim is really worth.