Types of Personal Injury Compensation
You may be entitled to compensation if you suffered an injury as a result of the negligence or wrongdoing of a third person. Find out about personal injury attorneys bellingham of damages you can get by speaking with an attorney for personal injury near you.
There are two major categories of damages that can be awarded in personal injury lawsuits: economic and non-economic damages. This article will go over these categories and show how they may impact the amount of compensation you're entitled to recover.
Economic Damages
If someone is injured in an accident, they could be entitled to economic damages. These damages can include medical expenses, lost earnings and property damage.
These types of damage are often very costly, especially if there are serious injuries. Since they require extensive medical attention. In addition to hospitalization, the victims may need to pay for prescription drugs and mobility equipment once they recover.
These expenses can mount up quickly, which is why it's essential to keep receipts for them. These receipts will help you prove the true value of your losses and increase your compensation.
In personal injury cases, the loss of earnings and future earnings are the most common types of economic losses. This is because the victim could be out-of-work for a period of weeks, months and even years after an accident. In this case the compensation awarded must reflect the amount the victim could have earned if they were not incapable of working.
If someone is disabled or an individual in the family dies as the result of an accident, the victim could be able to claim damages for services related to life. These services include home health, nursing, and physical therapy.
Many people require assistance in the same areas they completed prior to their accident. These include household chores, driving a car or taking care of the outdoor, and taking care of a dependent family member.
In these situations an attorney may be in a position to provide receipts, bills as well as other evidence of the cost of these items. They can also engage experts to testify about the worth of these damages.
The amount of these damages could vary widely depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident and the particular needs of the victim. A jury will typically consider a wide range of factors when determining an economic damages award.
These damages can include:
The two most painful aspects of life are pain and suffering.
This award is usually given to victims of serious accidents who have suffered physical or emotional injuries as a consequence of the accident. These awards could be minor (a few dollars for suffering) or even substantial (millions in a case of wrongful death).
Emotional distress
This type of damages is aimed at compensating the emotional strain that an injury can cause to the victim. It covers things like depression, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment in daily life.
Disfigurement
A person who is injured and has been permanently damaged by an accident may receive this. It can be very costly, as many people need procedures and other treatments in order to treat or remove disfigurements.
Loss of consortium and companionship
The purpose of this award is to compensate for the loss of someone you love because of the accident. This is particularly important if the victim has children or other dependents.
The awarding of non-economic damages is a distinct part of the legal system from economic damages, and it is much more rare. While they are subject to the burden of proof higher in the case of non-economic damages, they are more difficult to quantify and are not subject to the same limitations as economic damages.