There are many things that play a part in how much compensation you will receive for your accident, such as the extent of your injuries and even your age and gender. You would think that one’s age and gender wouldn’t play a part in how much compensation you may receive for an accident claim. However, the truth is age and gender is taken into account by your solicitor when a fair and proportionate amount of compensation is being decided upon.
For example, a young single female who suffers a facial scar in a car accident is likely to attract a higher level of compensation than an older married man who suffers the same injury under the same circumstances. This is because the prognosis for the future for the older married man is less grim. And to give you another example, a young boy with prospects for the future who falls off a horse and breaks his arm is likely to attract more compensation than an older woman who falls off a horse and breaks her arm.
Also, no two injuries will be exactly the same. As a consequence, it isn’t possible for a law firm like Accident Advice Helpline (click here) to provide accurate guidance on the amount of compensation you may receive, at least not until full and proper medical evidence has been obtained. You can however call AAH’s 24/7 Helpline on 0800 689 0500 and from your mobile on 0333 500 0993 to discuss your case and get a general payout figure.
When it comes to calculating compensation, it’s important to remember that there is no bias with regards to age and gender. If a 40 year old married man suffered the same injury as a 40 year old married woman, the payouts would be very similar. However, it’s the prognosis for the future that’s the clincher here and this will largely determine whether or not age and gender will play a part in the level of compensation you might receive.
Age and gender will however not affect special damages, which is the type of compensation that is awarded for loss of earnings, bills associated with an accident and all out-of-pocket expenses. This is because special damages are carefully calculated with evidence such as receipts, bills and pay slips. It’s also important to remember that past losses and expenses will vary considerably case-by-case. So you may be awarded more or less than similar cases, depending on your income. You can also make a claim for loss of pension.
And so to summarise, age and gender combined with your prognosis for the future can play a part in how much compensation you may receive for your accident.