What Are Personal Injury Damages?
After suffering a personal injury because of another person’s negligence, you may wonder about your legal case’s worth. One way to gauge a case’s value is with insights from the best injury attorney. A second way is by understanding personal injury damages.
If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you need a qualified attorney who can help you get the compensation you’re entitled to. The Echavarria Law Firm, PLLC provides experienced and knowledgeable personal injury legal representation in all types of cases. With an emphasis on client service and satisfaction, they are committed to protecting your rights and fighting for the justice that you deserve.
Compensatory Damages
Juries and judges award personal injury plaintiffs compensatory damages to make up for the money spent because of the injury or accident. From a financial viewpoint, these damages make the victim financially whole.
One type of compensatory damage is medical bills. These damages account for the money victims spent on medical bills connected to their injury and the money they stand to spend in the future. Examples of common personal injury medical costs include ambulance rides, physical therapy sessions, rehabilitation, medical assistive devices, and prescription medication.
Another example of compensatory damages is lost income. If personal injury victims must take time off work to recover from an injury or attend doctor’s appointments, they deserve compensation for lost income. In addition to the income already lost, these damages also account for income the plaintiff stands to lose in the future.
Personal injury victims may experience property loss depending on the accident or injury. Property loss damages compensate plaintiffs for car damage and loss of valuable belongings, such as computers, work equipment, and clothing. Harmed parties receive compensation based on the lost property’s current fair market value.
Also, what happens if you get in a bike accident? We know that cases involving bicycle accidents can be complex and require special attention. That’s why you should reach out to an attorney like a St Louis bicycle accident lawyer to review your case and explain your legal rights as an injured cyclist in St Louis. Our experienced attorneys will thoroughly review all available evidence, such as police reports, medical records, witness statements, and photos taken at the scene, in order to build a strong case for you.
Non-economic Damages
Other than economic damages like those mentioned above, personal injury cases sometimes involve non-economic damages. Because plaintiffs, judges, and juries often have a hard time totaling the costs of non-economic damages, the value becomes subjective.
Examples of non-economic damages include emotional anguish, pain, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life, worsening of old injuries, and reputational damage. Sometimes, the plaintiff’s spouse qualifies for non-economic damages called “loss of consortium.” Spouses may only receive these damages if the plaintiff recovers the damages. Otherwise, the plaintiff’s partner receives nothing.
Punitive Damages
In injury cases where a jury or judge deems the defendant’s actions especially careless or deplorable, the plaintiff may receive punitive damages. Rather than making the victim financially whole, these damages instead represent a punishment for the at-fault party and a way to discourage other individuals and entities from engaging in similar egregious behavior. Punitive damages may, for example, be awarded when a victim files a suit on behalf of a lost loved one with the help of an expert lawyer for wrongful death claims in California (or a similar attorney in your locality) after the occasion of their negligently or carelessly caused death.
