One term you’ll probably hear if you file a personal injury case in California is quality of life. This just means:
- How well you’re able to function after an injury and how much it negatively impacts your daily routines, independence, and enjoyment of life.
Part of your “damages” with a personal injury case is this reduced quality of life. It’s not just about how hurt you are right now, but how your injuries are going to impact your life going forward. And while this is different for different people, our team at Maison Law can help you through the process. Set up a free consultation today.
How Do My Injuries Impact My Quality of Life?
The question with your quality of life is pretty specific: how do your injuries make your daily life harder? That’s obviously a difficult question to answer because it also involves your specific injuries. But the reality is that an insurance company or a judge is going to look at a few markers when it comes to your quality of life:
- Everyday changes. A lot of changes show up in small, everyday ways. Maybe moving around takes more effort. Sitting too long hurts. Sleeping through the night is harder than it used to be. Things you once did without thinking—driving, cooking, running errands—suddenly take planning or help.
- Mental/emotional issues. There’s also the mental side of it. Dealing with pain day after day can wear you down. It’s common to feel more frustrated, tired, or short-tempered than usual. When recovery drags on, it can start to affect your mood and motivation, even if you’re doing everything your doctors recommend.
- Work life. Work and independence can change too. You might miss time, fall behind, or have to adjust how you do your job. Relying on other people—whether it’s for rides, chores, or childcare—can be hard, especially if you’re used to handling things on your own.
- Social changes. Then there’s the social side. You may skip plans because you don’t feel up to it or worry about how much energy something will take. Over time, those missed outings and moments can make life feel smaller than it used to.
Quality of life isn’t about one dramatic change. It’s about all these little shifts adding up. In a personal injury case, talking honestly about how your injury has changed your day-to-day life helps show the full picture—not just what happened, but how it continues to affect you. To actually show this, though, you’ll need to provide things like:
- Notes from your doctors and therapists
- Medical records
- Journals or daily notes about your pain and life changes
- Testimony from people that know you, and that can especially talk about how you were before your injuries and after.
One way or the other, our California personal injury lawyers at Maison Law will be with you from the start, documenting your quality of life changes and making sure you have a strong claim. To get started, set up a free consultation today.
