Types of Personal Injury Compensation
You may be entitled to compensation if you suffered an injury as a result of the negligence or wrongdoing of a third person. Find out about the kinds of damages you can be awarded by speaking to a
personal injury law firms injury attorney near you.
There are two primary types of damages that may be awarded in personal injury cases: economic and non-economic damages. This article will examine these categories and show how they may impact the amount of compensation you are entitled to recover.
Economic Damages
A person may be entitled to financial damages when they are injured in an accident. These damages can include medical expenses, lost earnings, and property damage.
These types of damages can be extremely expensive, especially if they are serious injuries. They will require intensive medical treatment. In addition to hospitalization, victims may have to pay for prescription medication and mobility equipment while they recover.
The cost of these expenses can be astronomical quickly, which is why it's important to keep receipts of these expenses. These receipts will help establish the value of your losses as well as increase your compensation.
Other common types of economic damages in
personal injury cases comprise loss of earnings and future earnings. This is because a victim may be not working for weeks, months or even years following an accident. In these instances the victim must receive the amount they would have earned if they could have worked.
A victim who is disabled or lost a loved one as a result of an accident could be entitled to damages for life-care services. This could include nursing, home health care and physical therapy as well as other services.
Many people also require help doing the things that they used to do before their accident. This includes household chores, driving a vehicle and caring for the outdoor and caring for a dependent family member.
In these situations an attorney might be competent to provide receipts and bills, and other proof of the cost of these items. They may also employ experts to testify to the worth of these damages.
The amount of these damages can vary widely depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident and the particular needs of the victim. Typically, a jury will look at a variety of factors when making an economic damages award.
Some examples of these damages could include:
The two most painful things in life are pain and suffering.
This award is usually awarded to those who have suffered serious injuries who have suffered emotional or physical injuries as a result of the accident. These awards can range from relatively minor (a couple of dollars for pain and suffering) to huge amounts of money (millions of dollars in a wrongful death lawsuit).
Emotional distress
This type of damage compensates victims for emotional trauma caused by an injury. This can include anxiety, depression and loss of enjoyment.
Disfigurement
It can be given to the person who has been injured and
personal has suffered permanent disfigurement due to the accident. This can be costly since many require surgery and other procedures to correct or remove imperfections.
The loss of companionship and the consortium
This damages award is designed to pay for the loss of a loved person as a result. This is especially relevant for those who have children or dependents.
Non-economic damages are an independent element of the legal system, distinct from economic damage and is far less frequent. Non-economic damages are subject to a greater burden of proof, but they are typically more difficult to determine than economic damages, and are not subject to the same limitations as economic damages.