Types of Personal Injury Compensation
You could be eligible for compensation if you sustained an injury due to negligence or the wrongdoing of another party. Learn about the types of damages you could get by speaking with a personal injury attorney near you.
There are two major categories of damages that can be awarded in personal injury cases including economic and non-economic damages. This article will look at these categories and show how they might affect the amount of compensation you are entitled to receive.
Economic Damages
If someone is injured in an accident, they could be entitled to compensation for their losses. These damages can include medical expenses, lost earnings, and property damage.
These kinds of damages can often be very expensive, especially when there are serious injuries. Because they will require intensive medical treatment. In personal injury attorneys plymouth to being hospitalized, victims may have to pay for prescription medication and mobility equipment as they recover.
The cost of these expenses can be astronomical quickly, which is why it's essential to keep receipts for them. The receipts you keep can help you establish the true cost of your losses and boost the value of your compensation.
Other common forms of economic damages in personal injury cases include lost wages and future income. The reason for this is that victims can be out of work for weeks, months, and even years following an accident. In these cases the victim should be compensated the amount they would have earned if could have worked.
A victim who is disabled or has lost a loved one because of an accident could be entitled to compensation for life-care services. These include home health, nursing and physical therapy.
Many people also require assistance to complete the tasks they used to do before their accident. These could include household chores, driving a vehicle or taking care of the outdoor, and even providing care for someone in the family who is dependent.
In these instances, an attorney may be able to provide receipts, bills and other evidence of the cost of these items. They can also engage experts to testify regarding the worth of these damages.
The value of these damages may vary significantly based on the circumstances surrounding the accident and the specific needs of the victim. Typically, a jury will take into consideration a variety of factors when determining an award for economic damages.
Examples of these damages might include:
The two most painful things in life are suffering and pain
It is usually granted to victims of serious accidents who have suffered emotional or physical injuries as a result of the accident. These awards may be minor (a few dollars for suffering) or large (millions in a case of wrongful death).
Emotional distress
This kind of damage is intended to alleviate the emotional stress an injury can cause to the victim. This includes anxiety, depression, and loss in enjoyment.
Disfigurement
A person who is injured and has suffered permanent damage as a result of an accident may be eligible for this. This can be very expensive as many people require surgery and other treatments to fix or remove disfigurements.
Loss of companionship or consortium
This damages award is designed to pay for the loss of the loved one due to the accident. This is particularly relevant in the case of children or other dependents.
Non-economic damages form a distinct part of the legal system apart in comparison to economic damages and are more rare. Although they may have a higher burden of evidence, non-economic damages are usually more difficult to determine and are not subject to the same limitations as economic damages.