Types of Personal Injury Compensation

If you suffered an injury as a result of another party's negligence or wrongdoing You may be entitled to compensation. Learn more about the types of damages you could receive by speaking with an attorney for personal injury near you.

There are two main types of damages that may be awarded in personal injury lawsuits: economic and non-economic damages. This article will look at these categories and explain how they might affect the amount of compensation you're entitled to recover.

Economic Damages

A person could be entitled to financial damages if they are injured in an accident. These damages can include medical expenses, lost earnings and property damage.

Often, these types of injuries can be quite costly particularly in the case of serious injuries. This is due to the fact that they require intensive treatment. In addition to hospitalization, the victims may have to pay for prescription medication and mobility aids as they recover.

These expenses can mount up quickly, which is why it is important to keep receipts of these expenses. Having these receipts will allow you to prove the true amount of your losses as well as increase the value of your compensation.

In personal injury attorney injury cases, loss of earnings and future income are typical types of economic losses. This is because the victim could be out of work for a number of months, weeks and even years after an accident. In this instance the award of compensation must reflect the amount the victim would have made if they weren't incapable of working.

If a person is disabled or the death of a family member occurs as the result of an accident, the victim may be entitled to damages for services provided to the living. These services include home health, nursing, and physical therapy.

Many people need assistance in the same areas they did before their accident. This includes house chores, driving a vehicle taking care of the outdoors as well as taking care of a dependent family member.

An attorney may be able provide receipts and bills or other evidence to demonstrate the value of these items in these cases. They may also employ experts to testify regarding the value of these damages.

The amount of these damages can differ significantly based on the circumstances of the accident and the victim's specific needs. A jury is typically considering many factors when awarding economic damages.

Examples of these damage could include:

Pain and suffering

This award is usually given to victims of serious accidents who have suffered emotional or physical injuries as a consequence of the accident. These awards can range from relatively minor (a couple of dollars for suffering and pain) to huge amounts of money (millions of dollars in a wrongful death lawsuit).

Emotional distress

This type of damages compensates victims of emotional stress that is caused by an injury. It can include things like anxiety, depression and a loss of enjoyment in life.

Disfigurement

An injured person who is permanently damaged due to an accident can receive this. It can be expensive as many require surgery and other procedures to correct or eliminate imperfections.

Loss of the consortium and companionship

This damages award is meant to cover the loss of loved ones in the event of an accident. This is particularly crucial in the case of children or other dependents.

The award of non-economic damages is an independent part of the legal system from economic damages, and is much rarer. Non-economic damages can be subject to a higher burden of proof, however they are generally more difficult to quantify than economic damages and aren't subject the same restrictions.