Types of Personal Injury Compensation
You may be entitled to compensation if you suffered an injury due to negligence or wrongdoing of another person. Speak with a personal injury lawyer near you to learn more about the damages you may be entitled to.
There are two major types of damages that can be awarded in personal injury cases including economic and non-economic damages. This article will explore these categories and show how they may impact the amount of compensation you're legally entitled to.
Economic Damages
If someone is injured in an accident, they may be entitled for financial damages. This could include medical expenses along with lost wages and property damage.
Often, these types of damage can be very costly particularly in the case of serious injuries. This is because they require intensive treatment. In addition to hospitalization, patients could be required to pay for prescription medication and mobility equipment as they recover.
These expenses can mount up quickly, which is why it's essential to keep receipts for them. These receipts can help you establish the value of your losses and increase your compensation.
Other forms of economic damages in personal injury cases are loss of earnings and future income. This is because a victim may be out of work for weeks, months, or years after an accident. In this scenario the compensation awarded should reflect the amount that the victim could have earned if they had not been in a position to work.
A victim who is disabled or lost loved ones because of an accident could be entitled to compensation for life-care services. These can include nursing home care, home health care and physical therapy and many more.
Many people also require help doing the things they did prior to their accident. These include house chores, driving a car as well as caring for the environment as well as taking care of the dependent family member.
In these cases an attorney might be competent to provide receipts and bills and other proof of the value of these items. They can also hire experts to testify on the worth of these damages.
These damages may be valued differently depending on the specific needs of the victim and the circumstances surrounding the incident. Typically, a jury will take into consideration a variety of factors when making an economic damages award.
These damages can include:
Pain and suffering
This is usually granted to victims of serious accidents who have suffered physical or emotional injuries as a result of the accident. The awards can be small (a few dollars for suffering) or substantial (millions in a case of wrongful death).
personal injury law firm north richland hills of damages are intended to alleviate the emotional trauma that an injury can cause the victim. It includes things like depression, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment in life.
Disfigurement
This could be given to an injured person who is permanently damaged as a result of the accident. This can be costly since many people require surgery and other treatments to correct or eliminate imperfections.
Loss of companionship and consortium
This damages award is meant to cover the loss of the loved one due to the accident. This is especially relevant for those who have children or dependents.
Non-economic damages are an independent part the legal system in comparison to economic damages and are much less common. Non-economic damages can be subject to a higher burden of proof, however they are typically more difficult to quantify than economic damages and are not subject to the same restrictions as economic damages.