Types of Personal Injury Compensation
If you've been injured because of the negligence or misconduct of another party you could be entitled to compensation. Consult a personal injury lawyer near you to learn more about the potential damages you could be awarded.
There are two main types of damages that may be awarded in personal injury cases which are economic and non-economic damages. This article will go over these two categories , and also explain how they can affect the amount that you are entitled to for compensation.
Economic Damages
A person may be entitled to financial damages after being injured in an accident. These may include medical bills loss of wages, property damage.
These kinds of damages can often be very expensive, especially when there are serious injuries. This is due to the fact that they require intensive treatment. When they recover, patients might need to pay for mobility equipment or prescription medications.
personal injury law firm sioux city can quickly mount up and it is crucial to keep receipts. The receipts you keep can help you establish the true cost of your losses and boost the value of your compensation.
Other types of economic damages in personal injury cases include loss of earnings and future income. This is because the victim could be out-of-work for a period of weeks, months or even for years following an accident. In this instance the award of compensation should reflect the amount that the victim could have made if they weren't incapable of working.
If someone is disabled or an individual in the family dies due to an accident, the victim may be eligible to receive damages for the services they received in life. These services include home health, nursing and physical therapy.
Many people also require assistance doing the things they did prior to their accident. These could include household chores, driving a vehicle or taking care of the environment, and taking care of an individual in the family who is dependent.
In these instances an attorney may be able to provide receipts, bills and other proof of the cost of these items. They can also engage experts to testify on the worth of these damages.
These damages can be valued differently based upon the specific requirements of the victim as well as the circumstances surrounding the accident. Typically, a jury will examine a range of factors when making an award of economic damages.
Examples of these damages could be:
The two most painful things that happen in life are suffering and pain
This award is typically given to victims of serious accidents who have suffered emotional or physical injuries as a result of the accident. The awards can range from relatively minor (a few dollars for pain and suffering) to massive sums of money (millions of dollars in a wrongful death case).
Emotional distress
This type of damages is targeted at redressing the emotional strain that an accident causes to the victim. This includes anxiety, depression and a loss of enjoyment.
Disfigurement
A person who is injured and is permanently damaged as a result of an accident may be eligible for this. It is costly as many people require surgery or other treatments to correct or eliminate disfigurements.
Loss of companionship and loss of consortium
The purpose of this award is to cover the loss of a loved one as a result of the accident. This is particularly important when the victim has children or other dependents.
The award of non-economic damages is a distinct part of the legal system, distinct from economic damages, and is much more rare. While they can have a higher burden of proof however, non-economic damages are typically more difficult to value and are not subject to the same limitations as economic damages.