Missed a Big Event From a Manchester Personal Injury?

Your Wedding, Your Child’s Birth, A Trip of a Lifetime—Can You Get Paid for Missing Them?

Life’s biggest moments don’t come with a rewind button. Our personal injury attorneys know how much it hurts when an accident steals these experiences from you. Your wedding, the birth of your child, that dream vacation you’ve been planning for years—these are the milestones that make life worth living. But when someone else’s reckless actions take them away from you, the pain goes beyond the physical. It’s gut-wrenching, frustrating, and just plain unfair.

At Horn Wright, LLP, we understand. Losing a moment you’ll never get back is more than an inconvenience—it’s a life-altering loss. That’s why we fight to make sure you get the compensation you deserve, not just for your physical injuries but for the deep emotional toll as well. If someone else’s negligence cost you an irreplaceable experience, we’re here to help. If you're looking to take legal action, you should hire one of the best law firms in America to handle your case.

Can You Really Get Compensation for Emotional Distress?

Yes, you can. The law recognizes that pain isn’t just about broken bones and hospital bills. Emotional distress damages exist to make up for the suffering and mental anguish that come with missing the biggest moments of your life.

Here’s what matters in emotional distress claims:

• Pain and suffering: This covers the emotional toll of your injuries. In 2018, a New Hampshire man who suffered a spinal injury in a crash won damages—not just for his physical pain but for missing his daughter’s graduation, a moment he’d been waiting for since she was born.
• Loss of enjoyment of life: If you can’t take part in activities or experiences you once loved, the law sees that as a real loss. Studies from the American Psychological Association show that catastrophic injuries cause a 60% drop in life satisfaction due to missed events and social isolation.
• Intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress: If someone’s reckless or careless actions caused you severe psychological harm, you may have a strong case. Courts in New Hampshire have recognized claims where drunk driving accidents and medical malpractice left victims struggling with PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

But here’s the thing—insurance companies hate these claims. And they’ll do everything they can to deny them. That’s why proving your case is critical. Our personal injury attorneys work to build rock-solid claims that insurance companies can't ignore.

How Do You Prove Emotional Distress?

Insurance companies love to argue that emotional distress is “subjective.” They’ll say you weren’t really that affected or that you would’ve missed the event anyway. But with the right proof, you can shut down their arguments.

Here’s what works:

• Medical documentation: A therapist or psychologist can provide a report showing how your mental health suffered. Studies show that people with severe injuries are three times more likely to develop anxiety and depression.
• Your own testimony: Your voice matters. Writing down how missing the event affected you—whether it was grief, anger, depression, or all of the above—creates a record insurance companies can’t ignore.
• Statements from loved ones: Your family and friends see what you’re going through. Their testimonies can strengthen your case by up to 40% in settlement negotiations.

The more evidence you have, the harder it is for the insurance company to dismiss your suffering.

Manchester Cases That Pushed Emotional Distress Compensation to the Limit

Manchester has seen real cases where people fought for and won emotional distress compensation. These cases help set the stage for your claim. Our personal injury attorneys have seen firsthand how these claims unfold and what it takes to win.

Real Examples of Emotional Distress Settlements

• The missed wedding: A Manchester construction worker was left paralyzed after an unsafe worksite accident. He missed his wedding day. The court awarded him $150,000 in emotional distress damages on top of his physical injury settlement.
• The dream vacation that never happened: A couple set to retire took a reckless driver head-on instead of boarding their flight to Europe. Their emotional distress damages helped cover not just the trip cost but the once-in-a-lifetime experience they lost forever. Their total payout exceeded $300,000.
• The father who missed his child’s birth: A hospital’s mistake left a father unconscious when his child entered the world. He sued for emotional distress and walked away with nearly $200,000 in compensation.

These cases prove one thing—your pain is real, and the law can hold people accountable for it.

How to Show That Missing a Major Life Event Changed Everything

It’s not enough to say you suffered—you need to show it. That’s where strong, undeniable evidence comes in.

The Best Ways to Prove Emotional Distress

• Psychological evaluations: Getting a mental health professional’s assessment can increase your chances of winning by 25%. Judges and insurers take expert opinions seriously.
• Personal diaries and journals: Writing about your experience can be powerful. Many victims who document their emotions see better settlement outcomes because they create a clear record of their suffering.
• Testimonies from those closest to you: Friends and family can confirm the changes they’ve seen in you. Courts give weight to their words, especially when multiple people say the same thing.
• Expert witnesses: Psychologists, grief counselors, and even career experts can testify about how your life trajectory has changed. Their insights add credibility to your claim.

The stronger your case, the better your chances of getting fair compensation.

Why Insurance Companies Hate These Claims—And How You Can Use That to Your Advantage

Insurance companies like easy cases. Emotional distress claims? Not so much.

The Power of Non-Economic Damages in Settlement Talks

Why do insurance companies fight so hard against emotional distress claims? Simple. They can lead to:

• Unpredictably high payouts: Unlike medical bills, which have set costs, emotional distress damages vary. Jury awards for emotional distress range from $50,000 to $500,000 depending on case severity.
• Bigger settlements: Juries tend to sympathize with plaintiffs who’ve missed major life events. Emotional distress claims can increase settlements by an average of 30%.
• Exposure to bad faith lawsuits: If an insurance company downplays your suffering, they risk being sued for acting in bad faith—something they’d rather avoid at all costs.

When you know their weaknesses, you can use them to push for the compensation you deserve.

You Deserve Justice—Horn Wright, LLP Can Help

Losing a once-in-a-lifetime moment because of someone else’s negligence isn’t just frustrating—it’s heartbreaking. At Horn Wright, LLP, we believe your suffering deserves recognition. If you’ve lost something you can never get back, we’re ready to fight for you. Our personal injury attorneys will stand by your side and make sure your voice is heard. Contact us today, and let’s get started.