Types of Personal Injury Compensation
You could be qualified for compensation if sustained an injury due to negligence or wrongdoing of another party. Learn about the types of damages that you can be awarded by speaking to an attorney who specializes in personal injury near you.
There are two major categories of damages that can be awarded in personal injury lawsuits: economic and non-economic damages. This article will examine these categories and explain how they might affect the amount of compensation you are entitled to receive.
Economic Damages
A person could be entitled to financial damages when they are injured in an accident. These could include medical costs as well as lost wages and property damage.
Often, these kinds of damages can be extremely expensive especially in the event of serious injuries. This is due to the fact that they require extensive treatment. In personal injury lawyer modesto to hospitalization, patients could be required to pay for prescription medicines and mobility aids as they recover.
These costs can quickly accumulate, so it is important to keep receipts. Having these receipts will allow you to prove the true cost of your losses as well as increase the value of your compensation.
In personal injury cases wages and future income are common types of economic losses. This is due to the fact that victims could be out-of-work for months, weeks, or even for years following an accident. In these instances the victim should be compensated the amount they would have received if they had been able to work.
A person who is disabled or lost a loved one due to an accident may be entitled to damages for life-care services. These include home health, nursing, and physical therapy.
Many people require assistance with the same tasks that they did before their accident. These may include household chores, driving, taking care of the environment, and taking care of a dependent family member.
An attorney may be able provide receipts or bills, as well as other evidence to show the value of these items in these instances. They can also engage experts to testify about the value of these damages.
The amount of damages awarded can be determined differently based on the specific requirements of the victim as well as the circumstances surrounding the accident. A jury will typically consider a wide range of factors when making an economic damages award.
Examples of these damages could be:
Pain and suffering
This award is usually awarded to those who have suffered serious injuries who have suffered physical or emotional injuries as a consequence of the accident. The awards can range from relatively small (a small amount of money for pain and suffering) to massive amounts of money (millions of dollars in a wrongful death case).
Emotional distress
The type of damages mentioned above is intended to alleviate the emotional strain that an injury can cause a victim. It can include things like depression, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment in everyday life.
Disfigurement
An injured person who is permanently damaged as a result of an accident can receive this. It is a costly procedure since many people require surgery and other treatments to treat or remove disfigurements.
Loss of companionship and consortium
This damages award is designed to pay for the loss of loved ones due to the accident. This is especially important if the victim has children or other dependents.
The awarding of non-economic damages are a distinct part of the legal system, distinct from economic damages, and is much rarer. While they may be subject to an additional burden of proof however, non-economic damages are typically more difficult to determine and are not subject to the same limitations as economic damages.