Types of Personal Injury Compensation
You may be eligible for compensation if suffered an injury due to negligence or the wrongdoing of another person. Contact a personal injury lawyer near you to learn more about the damages you could receive.
There are two main types of damages that may be given in personal injury cases including economic and non-economic damages. This article will look at these categories and discuss how they might affect the amount of compensation you're entitled to recover.
Economic Damages
A person could be entitled to financial compensation if they are injured in an accident. These damages could include medical expenses, lost earnings and property damage.
Often, these kinds of damage can be very costly especially in the case of serious injuries. This is because they require extensive treatment. In addition to hospitalization, patients could be required to pay for prescription medications and mobility equipment while they recover.
These expenses can add up quickly, so it is important to keep receipts of them. Having these receipts can help you establish the true cost of your losses, and also increase the value of your compensation.
In personal injury cases earnings and future income are among the most common types of economic damages. This is because a victim may be in a position of no work for weeks, months, or years after an accident. In these instances the victim is entitled to the amount they could have earned if they had been able to work.
If a person is disabled or an individual in the family dies due to an accident, the victim could be entitled to compensation for services provided to the living. These could include nursing home care, home health care and physical therapy and many more.
Many people need assistance in the same areas they had prior to their accident. These include house chores, driving a car and caring for the outdoor and taking care of family members who are dependent.
An attorney could be able to provide receipts, bills, or other evidence to show the value of these items in these cases. They can also employ experts to testify on the value of these damages.
The amount of damages awarded can be determined differently depending on the specific requirements of the victim as well as the circumstances that led to the accident. A jury will typically consider a wide range of factors when determining an economic damages award.
Some examples of these damages could be:
Pain and suffering
This is usually granted to victims of serious accidents who have suffered emotional or physical injuries as a result of the accident. The awards can be minor (a few dollars for suffering) or substantial (millions in the event of wrongful death).
Emotional distress
This kind of compensation compensates victims of emotional stress that is caused by an injury. It covers things like depression, anxiety and loss of enjoyment in daily life.
Disfigurement
An injured person who is permanently damaged as a result of an accident may be eligible for this. It can be expensive as many people require surgery or other procedures to correct or remove imperfections.
The loss of companionship and the consortium
The damages award is intended to compensate the loss of a loved one because of the accident. This is particularly relevant if the victim has children or other dependents.
personal injury lawsuit bellingham -economic damages form a distinct part of the legal system apart from economic damages and is significantly less common. Although they may have the burden of proof higher however, non-economic damages are typically more difficult to value and are not subject to the same limitations as economic damages.