What Constitutes “Humiliation” in a South Carolina Motorcycle Accident Case?
Humiliation is one of the more obscure non-economic damages that may arise during a motorcycle accident lawsuit in South Carolina. However, it has the potential to be perfectly legitimate. Humiliation is one of the most difficult psychological issues that a person can bear, and it may even drive a victim toward suicidal ideation. When can you pursue additional compensation for humiliation in South Carolina?
Humiliation Is a Non-Economic Damage
First, it is important to understand that humiliation falls into the general category of “non-economic damages.” In other words, humiliation represents a psychological loss rather than a financial loss. Despite its non-financial nature, humiliation can lead to compensation in the same way as economic damages. In some cases, non-economic damages are worth far more than economic damages.
How Do I Know If I Have Suffered Humiliation Due to My Motorcycle Accident?
Humiliation may occur in various ways after a motorcycle accident. According to the Law Dictionary, the definition of “humiliation” is being made to look disgraceful, belittled, or otherwise foolish. Accidents and injuries can cause people to act in strange and embarrassing ways. The physical trauma associated with a motorcycle accident can also be humiliating.
For example, you may have had uncontrollable bowel movements after your crash due to the shock of this life-threatening situation. The resulting situation may have been extremely embarrassing and humiliating for you, especially if numerous witnesses noticed your predicament. Perhaps you had a mental breakdown after the crash and behaved in a panicked or crazed manner.
Maybe your crash tore away layers of clothing, exposing your nude body for all to see. This is actually relatively common in motorcycle accidents, as friction burns or “road rash” can easily strip away layers of clothing. Public nudity can certainly be humiliating and shameful, especially if you had nowhere to hide while waiting for first responders to arrive.
Some injuries are inherently embarrassing or humiliating. In the context of motorcycle accidents, an example might be a genital injury. These injuries are actually quite common, especially if you were jolted forward against the gas tank of your motorcycle at full force. This type of impact can cause catastrophic injuries to the testicles and scrotum, often rupturing this area or causing a testicle to migrate upward and into the body (retractile testicle). It is almost impossible to dispute the humiliating nature of these injuries.
Note that humiliation often goes hand-in-hand with disfigurement. Many disfiguring injuries that occur due to motorcycle accidents are also humiliating, and vice versa. Both types of non-economic damages can lead to compensation.
Can a South Carolina Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Help Me?
A South Carolina motorcycle accident lawyer should be able to help you pursue compensation for all your various non-economic damages. Depending on your circumstances, this may include humiliation. Other legitimate non-economic damages might include emotional distress, depression, anxiety, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, and many others. Continue this conversation with Mickelsen & Dalton, LLC today.
Sources:
thelawdictionary.org/humiliation/
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/retractile-testicle/symptoms-causes/syc-20377197
