Types of Personal Injury Compensation
If you've suffered an injury as a result of an individual's negligence or wrongdoing you could be entitled to compensation. Find out the kinds of damages you may receive by speaking with an attorney for personal injury near you.
In personal injury cases, there are two types of damages that can occur that are non-economic and economic. 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 may be entitled to financial compensation if they are injured in an accident. These damages could include medical expenses, lost earnings, and property damage.
In most cases, these types damages can be extremely costly especially in the event of serious injuries. This is because they will require intensive treatment. In addition to hospitalization, the victims may need to pay for prescription medicines and mobility equipment as they recover.
These expenses can mount up quickly, which is why it's important to keep receipts of them. These receipts can help you demonstrate the true worth of your losses and increase your compensation.
In personal injury cases, loss of wages and future income are among the most common types of economic damages. This is because victims may be out-of-work for months, weeks, or even for years following an accident. In this situation the compensation awarded must reflect the amount the victim could have made if they weren't unable to work.
A victim who is disabled or has lost loved ones because of an accident could be entitled to compensation for life-care services. These services include nursing, home health and physical therapy.
Many people also require assistance doing the things they used to do before their accident. These include household chores driving a vehicle and caring for the outdoor and taking care of family members who are dependent.
In these instances an attorney may be in a position to provide receipts, bills and other evidence of the value of these items. They can also engage experts to testify on the value of these damages.
The amount of these damages could vary widely depending on the circumstances of the accident and the specific needs of the victim. A jury will usually consider several factors when determining the amount of damages.
These damages can include:
Pain and suffering
This award is typically given to those injured in serious accidents who are suffering physical or emotional injuries as a consequence of the accident. These awards can be very small (a few dollars for suffering) or even substantial (millions in a case of wrongful death).
Emotional distress
This kind of damage is targeted at redressing the emotional stress that an injury can cause to a victim. It can include things like depression, anxiety and loss of enjoyment in daily life.
Disfigurement
It can be given to the person who has been injured and has suffered permanent disfigurement by the accident. personal injury attorney waukesha can be costly as many people require surgery and other treatments to repair or remove disfigurements.
Loss of companionship and consortium
The purpose of this award is to provide compensation for the loss suffered by a loved person as a result. This is particularly important for victims who have dependents or children.
Non-economic damages are an independent part of the legal system that is distinct from economic damage and is much less common. Non-economic damages are subject to a higher burden of proof, but they are typically more difficult to value than economic damages, and they are not restricted by the same rules.