Diminished quality of life happens when someone’s happiness and overall wellness are lessened. This can be due to injuries, health problems, loneliness, lack of money, or other reasons that make it hard for them to enjoy life.
Quality of life focuses on how happy and healthy people are in a certain place. Quality of life might be impacted by environment, health, having good housing and clean surroundings, controlling loud noises, and access to public spaces and services.
The main aim of laws permitting recovering damages for diminished quality of life, is to ensure everyone has a chance to live in a safe, healthy, and enjoyable place. This allows accident victims the potential to live free of stress or discomfort from the accident.
Examples of Injuries Leading to Less Enjoyment in Life
There are many injuries or health issues that can make someone’s life less enjoyable, including the following:
- Long-term pain: If someone is always in pain, like with back problems or arthritis, it can be hard for them to have fun doing everyday things.
- Physical disabilities: Injuries like losing a limb, hurting the spinal cord, or being paralyzed can change how a person lives and enjoys life.
- Mental health challenges: Problems with mental health, like feeling very sad (depression), being very worried (anxiety), or having trouble after a scary event (post-traumatic stress disorder), can change how a person feels about life and how they interact with others.
- Feeling lonely: Not having friends or people to talk to can make someone feel very sad and less happy with their life.
- Trouble moving around: Getting older, accidents, or health issues that make it hard to move can stop someone from doing things they used to like.
- Problems with thinking or remembering: Diseases like Alzheimer’s or other issues that affect the brain can make it hard for someone to remember things or think clearly, changing how they enjoy life.
If someone can’t enjoy life like they used to, it might mean they can’t do activities they enjoy, like hobbies, sports, or spending time with loved ones. It could even include everyday tasks like cooking or cleaning.
What to Look for in Diminished Quality of Life Cases
When deciding how much money a person should get for an injury, there are a lot of things to think about. Every case is different and should be looked at carefully. Some things might affect the decision even if they shouldn’t.
Here are things that are often considered in diminished quality of life cases:
- Age of the person hurt: This can influence the long-term impact of the injury
- Efforts to reduce losses: How the injured person tried to mitigate the harm
- Severity of the injuries: The extent and nature of the injuries sustained
- Future impact of the injury: Potential long-term consequences of the injury
- Responsibility for the injury: Who caused the injury and the circumstances (e.g., drunk driving)
- Work experience and education: How the injury affects the person’s career and future opportunities
- Witness testimonies: What witnesses say about the incident
- Insurance presence: Whether there is insurance coverage involved
- Jury composition Who makes up the jury, as it can affect the outcome
These factors help decide how much money someone should get for their injury and how it has changed their life.
Legal Remedies for Diminished Quality of Life
If someone’s life gets worse because they were injured, there are legal ways to help.
Common ways people can get help for changes of quality of life include the following:
- Personal injury lawsuits: If someone got hurt because of what someone else did or didn’t do, they might be able to sue. This requires demanding money to help with injuries and how their life has changed. In injury cases, people might get money for pain and suffering, feeling very sad or stressed, not being able to have fun in life, or not being able to do normal daily activities.
- Workers’ Compensation: If someone gets hurt at work, they might get workers’ compensation. This can help pay for medical bills, lost wages (money they would have earned if they could work). This compensation can help improve your quality of life.
- Social Security Disability: People who can’t work for a long time or forever because of their injuries might get Social Security Disability benefits. This compensation can help if your quality of life was diminished due to a disability.
Sometimes, there’s a settlement. This is when the person who got hurt agrees to take a certain amount of money. In return, they won’t ask for more money later. The amount they get depends on how bad their injuries are and how much their life has changed. Settlements can happen by talking it out or through a meeting ordered by the court.
Contact an Experienced Kentucky Personal Injury Attorney
If you or someone you know has experienced a diminished quality of life due to an injury, it’s important to know that you have options. To explore these options and understand your rights, reach out to Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC.
Our experienced team is dedicated to helping you navigate these challenging times and ensuring you receive the support and compensation you deserve. Contact our Bowling Green personal injury lawyers at (859) 550-2900 today to take the first step towards recovery and justice.