Pain and suffering damages are often calculated using various methods. Typically, this will either be a multiplier method or a per diem method.
When using a multiplier method, the first step will be to calculate all economic damages associated with the motorcycle crash. This means that the victim’s medical bills, lost wages, and out-of-pocket losses will all be totaled. That total will then be multiplied by a set number (ranging anywhere from 1.5 to 5) to reach the total compensation that will be requested for pain and suffering.
For example, suppose that a motorcycle accident victim sustains $25,000 and medical bills as well as $5,000 in lost wages for a total of $30,000 in losses. If a multiplier of three is used to calculate the pain and suffering damages, then this will result in the $30,000 being multiplied by three to a total of $90,000.
Overall, the motorcycle accident victim or their attorney will ask for $120,000 in total compensation, which is the sum of the economic losses and the pain and suffering damages.
The per diem method is an alternate way to calculate pain and suffering damages. In these cases, the compensation will be determined by placing a value on the daily pain and suffering. For example, a daily rate of $300 could be used and then multiplied by the total number of days the victim was suffering from their injuries.