Types of Personal Injury Compensation
If you suffered an injury because of an individual's negligence or wrongdoing, you may be entitled to compensation. Learn more about the types of damages you could be awarded by speaking to an attorney who specializes in personal injury near you.
There are two main kinds of damages that could be granted in personal injury cases: economic and non-economic damages. This article will explore the two categories and explain how they can affect the amount you are entitled for compensation.
Economic Damages
If a person is injured in an accident, they could be entitled for financial damages. This could include medical expenses as well as lost wages and property damage.
These kinds of injuries are often very expensive, especially when there are serious injuries. This is because they require extensive treatment. In addition to hospitalization, the victims may have to pay for prescription medication and mobility equipment as they recover.
The cost of these expenses can be astronomical quickly, and it is crucial to keep receipts for these expenses. These receipts can help you establish the true value of your losses, and also increase the value of your compensation.
In personal injury cases, loss of wages and future income are common forms of economic damage. This is because a victim might be not working for weeks, months or even years following an accident. In these situations the victim should be compensated the amount they would have earned if they were able to work.
If someone is disabled or an individual in the family dies as the result of an accident, the victim could be entitled to damages for the services they received in life. These services include nursing, home health, and physical therapy.
Many people require assistance in the same areas they did prior to their accident. These include household chores, driving and taking care of the outdoors, and providing childcare for a dependent family member.
An attorney might be able to provide receipts and bills or other evidence to prove the value of these items in these instances. They can also engage experts to testify on the value of these damages.
The amount of these damages may vary in a wide range depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident and the particular needs of the victim. Typically, a jury will look at a variety of factors when determining an award of economic damages.
These damages can include:
Pain and suffering
This is typically granted to victims of serious accidents who suffer emotional or physical injuries due to the accident. These awards can be very small (a few dollars for suffering) or large (millions in a case of wrongful death).
Emotional distress
This type of damage compensates victims for emotional stress caused by an injury. personal injury lawyer tucson includes depression, anxiety and a loss of pleasure.
Disfigurement
A person who is injured and has suffered permanent damage as a result of an accident could be eligible for this. This can be very expensive as many people require surgery and other treatments to repair or remove disfigurements.
Loss of companionship and loss of consortium
This damages award is meant to compensate the loss of a loved one because of the accident. This is especially crucial for those who have dependents or children.
Non-economic damages are a separate part the legal system in comparison to economic damages and are far less frequent. While they can have the burden of proof higher 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.