In personal injury cases, the legal system considers a person’s general health, well-being, and ability to enjoy common areas of life as “diminished quality of life.”
What Is Considered Diminished Quality Of Life?
After a personal injury, if someone can not complete daily life activities, they may be entitled to receive a more significant monetary value of damages to help compensate for their loss.
Not being able to care for oneself, or dependents, work, or partake in recreational activities would be considered a diminished quality of life. An experienced attorney can broadly apply reduced quality of life after an injury to illustrate something the injured person was able to do pre-injury but no longer is.
What Type Of Injuries Would Contribute To Diminished Quality Of Life?
Severe injuries result in diminished quality of life, such as paralyzation of one or multiple limbs, the loss of an arm or leg, spinal cord injuries, losing vision or hearing, head/brain trauma, or severe disfigurement.
How Is Diminished Quality Of Life Quantified?
When juries or judges attempt to quantify the diminished quality of life, they’ll consider a few key factors, such as:
- the age of the injured person,
- the injured person’s physical appearance
- the injured party’s educational background and work history,
- the geographic location where the injured person lives,
- the severity of the injuries,
- the future consequences of the injury, and
- the nature of the activity that has been lost.
The person’s age is considered because a 20-year-old may have different physical abilities and habits than an 80-year-old. For example, a 20-year-old may have gone on daily runs pre-injury, but an 80-year-old who suffered the same injury was walking with a cane before the injury.
What Should I Do If I Think My Injury Resulted In Diminished Quality Of Life?
If you think your injury resulted in a diminished quality of life, and you can no longer enjoy activities you used to, work, or care for yourself or others, reach out to Hyland, Padilla, & Fowler immediately.
We offer complimentary consultations to help you understand your chances of receiving financial compensation to help compensate for your diminished quality of life.