Types of Damages in Personal Injury Cases

If you are reading this article, you are probably considering filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit. If you have been seriously injured in an accident that was not your fault, you will be spending thousands of dollars on your medical bills and other losses. You would definitely want to recover these from the party responsible. There are three basic types of personal injury damages that you may be entitled to: general damages, special damages, and punitive damages.

General Damages

General damages are compensatory damages that cover the non-economic aspects of the losses suffered by an injured victim. These may include pain and suffering, loss of promotion or other opportunities, inability to carry out day-to-day tasks, hobbies, future loss of earnings, etc. Since there is no economic value to these losses suffered by the victim, the insurance company and the lawyers use certain formulas to quantify them. Depending on the amount of trauma you suffered in the accident, you may be entitled to general damages.

Special Damages

Special damages are compensatory damages that cover the economic losses suffered by the injured victim in the accident. These include medical expenses, property damage, loss of earnings, and other quantifiable economic harms. The claimant will need to submit bills and other evidence to recover these damages.

Punitive Damages

Unlike general and special damages, punitive damages are not meant to compensate the victim. Rather, they serve as a form of punishment for the person who has caused the accident. They are meant to deter and warn the person responsible against repeating the same mistake. A jury may award punitive damages in a lawsuit if the jurors find that the acts of the defendant that caused the injury complained of were reckless or malicious, represent a high degree of immorality or show deliberate dishonesty.

Recovering personal injury damages is complicated and time-consuming. It may be hard to handle it on your own. However, an experienced personal injury can help you recover the maximum amount that you need and deserve. Their years of experience and knowledge give them the upper hand in dealing with the insurance companies and the legal process. Moreover, they have all the resources needed to make a successful claim. Make sure that you consult with an experienced personal injury attorney - they usually provide a free consultation during your first visit.