Types of Personal Injury Compensation
You may be eligible for compensation if you suffered an injury due to the negligence or wrongdoing of a third party. Learn more about the types of damages that you can receive by speaking with a
personal injury law firms injury attorney near you.
There are two major categories of damages that can be awarded in
personal injury lawsuits which are economic and non-economic damages. This article will explore these two categories and discuss how they can affect the amount you're entitled to for compensation.
Economic Damages
When a person is injured in an accident, they may be entitled to compensation for their losses. These could include medical costs loss of wages, property damage.
These kinds of injuries can be extremely costly, especially if there are serious injuries. This is because they require extensive treatment. In addition to hospitalization, victims may need to pay for prescription medications and mobility equipment as they recover.
These expenses can mount up quickly, which is why it is important to keep receipts of these expenses. These receipts will allow you to prove the true amount of your losses and increase the value of your compensation.
In personal injury cases wages and future earnings are the most common kinds of economic loss. This is because the victim could be out of work for weeks, months, and even years after an accident. In this case the award of compensation should reflect the amount the victim would have earned if they had not been incapable of working.
A victim who is disabled or lost a loved one because of an accident may be entitled to compensation for life-care services. These include home health, nursing, and physical therapy.
Many people also need assistance doing the things they used to do before their accident. These may include household chores, driving a vehicle as well as taking care of the outdoor, and assisting someone in the family who is dependent.
An attorney could be able to provide receipts bills, receipts, or other evidence to prove the value of these items in these cases. They can also employ experts to testify regarding the worth of these damages.
These damages may be valued differently based on the specific requirements of the victim as well as the circumstances surrounding the incident. A jury will usually consider several factors when determining the amount of damages.
Examples of these damages could include:
Pain and suffering
This is usually given to those who have suffered from severe accidents who have suffered emotional or physical injuries due to the accident. These awards may be small (a few dollars for suffering) or huge (millions in the event of wrongful death).
Emotional distress
The type of damages mentioned above is aimed at compensating the emotional stress an accident causes to the victim. This can include anxiety, depression and a loss of enjoyment.
Disfigurement
It can be given to someone who has been permanently disfigured by the accident. It can be expensive as many people require surgery and other treatments to correct or remove disfigurements.
Loss of companionship and loss of consortium
This damages award is designed to compensate for the loss of loved ones as a result. This is especially relevant for those who have children or dependents.
The award of non-economic damages are a distinct part of the legal system as opposed to economic damages, and is more difficult to obtain. While they may be subject to a higher burden of proof, non-economic damages are usually more difficult to value and are not subject to the same restrictions as economic damages.