Types of Personal Injury Compensation

You could be entitled to compensation if you were injured due to negligence or the wrongdoing of another person. Learn about the types of damages you could receive by speaking with a personal injury lawsuits injury attorney near you.

There are two main types of damages that may be awarded in personal injury cases that are non-economic and economic damages. This article will explore these categories and explain how they could impact the amount of compensation you are legally entitled to.

Economic Damages

When a person is injured in an accident, they may be entitled for financial damages. These damages could include medical expenses, lost earnings, and property damage.

Often, these types of damages can be extremely expensive especially in the case of serious injuries. Since they require extensive medical attention. After recovering, patients might need to pay for mobility equipment or prescription medications.

These expenses can quickly grow It is therefore essential to keep receipts. These receipts can help you establish the true cost of your losses, and also increase the value of your compensation.

Other common types of economic damages in personal injury cases include loss of earnings and future income. The reason for this is that victims can be out-of-work for a number of months, weeks or even for years following an accident. In these instances the victim should be compensated the amount they would have earned if they had been able to work.

If someone is disabled or someone in the family dies as the result of an accident, the victim could be eligible to receive damages for life care services. These include nursing, home health and physical therapy.

Many people also require assistance doing the things they used to do before their accident. These include house chores, driving a car, caring for the outdoors as well as taking care of the dependent family member.

An attorney could be able to provide receipts, bills, or other evidence to prove the value of these items in these cases. They may also hire experts to testify on the worth of these damages.

These damages are valued differently based upon the specific requirements of the victim as well as the circumstances surrounding the incident. A jury will typically consider several factors when determining the amount of damages.

These damages could include:

Pain and suffering

This is typically given to those who are victims of serious accidents who have suffered physical or emotional injuries as a result of the accident. These awards could be minor (a few dollars for suffering) or large (millions in the event of wrongful death).

Emotional distress

This kind of compensation compensates victims for emotional trauma caused by an injury. It can include things like depression, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment in life.

Disfigurement

This is a gift to someone who is injured and is permanently damaged as a result of the accident. It is costly as many require surgery and other procedures to correct or eliminate disfigurements.

Loss of companionship and loss of consortium

The purpose of this award is to pay for the loss of the loved one due to the loss. This is especially important when the victim has children or other dependents.

Non-economic damages are a separate part of the legal system that is distinct as is economic damage, and are much less common. Although they may have a higher burden of evidence and are more difficult to prove, non-economic damages are generally more difficult to quantify and are not subject to the same limitations as economic damages.