A person who’s injured in a crash caused by another’s negligence might decide to seek compensation for the financial damages of the wreck. The duty to mitigate damages is one of the responsibilities of the injured victim has when they seek compensation for the damages related to a crash.
Mitigating damages means that an injury victim needs takes steps to minimize the damages that occur as a result of a crash. Typically, this concept is meant to limit the actual damages to what would be considered reasonable.
Key aspects of mitigating damages
Seeking immediate medical care and work with healthcare providers to develop a suitable treatment plan is one option. This shows a willingness to try to reclaim their life as quickly as safely possible.
Delaying or ignoring necessary medical treatment can worsen injuries. It may also impact the compensation claim because the defense may claim the lack of action caused the victim’s condition to worsen.
Mitigating damages also involves avoiding things that could unnecessarily increase the costs associated with the crash. For example, choosing a comparable vehicle rather than a luxury upgrade when picking a rental car would show the victims is trying to keep the costs to a minimum.
The impact on compensation claims
Courts will consider whether the victim took reasonable steps to minimize their losses when determining compensation. Failure to mitigate damages can lead to a reduction in the amount of compensation awarded because it is assumed that the victim’s actions or inactions contributed to the extent of the damages or losses incurred.
Working with a legal representative may help victims to uncover ways they can mitigate damages. This may help them to receive the full compensation they’re due.