A personal injury case involves losses sustained by one person due to the negligence or recklessness of another person or business. Under the law, the goal of damages – or compensation for your losses – is to make you whole again. As the victim, it is up to you to prove your losses to the at-fault party. The problem is that it is not easy to do. The types of damages in a personal injury case can be complex and hard to pinpoint. A Santa Monica personal injury lawyer from Borna Houman Law can assist in your case.
The Most Common Types of Personal Injury Damages
Most personal injury cases involve numerous types of damages. Look at the following most commonly associated losses related to personal injuries.
Economic Losses
Economic losses are financial losses you suffered due to an accident or injury. These damages will include any specific financial matters. Some examples of them include:
- Medical bills for emergency medical care
- Emergency and ambulance costs
- Hospital stays
- Medication costs
- Medical supplies and equipment
- Ongoing medical care and doctor’s appointments
- Long-term nursing care
- Modifications to your home or car due to your injuries
- Lost time and wages
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket expenses could include transportation costs to get to appointments or parking fees.
Non-Economic Losses
Non-economic losses include damages for the pain and suffering you incurred due to the incident. However, non-economic damages in a personal injury case are more than just suffering pain. The following are some examples of what may fall into this category:
- Physical pain and discomfort felt at the time of the accident
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental pain and anguish from the incident
- Loss of quality of life
- Loss of enjoyment in life
- Scarring and other disfigurement
- Disability and impairments that will not improve
- Loss of consortium
To determine what your non-economic damages are, we must consider how this accident impacted you and will continue to impact you for years to come. We must consider how severe the damages are, the person’s health and the length of the recovery process, and any long-term implications of the incident.
The value of non-economic damages follows the court’s rules. In many courts, this is calculated based on the economic damages you recover multiplied by a factor (that factor often falls between 1.5 and 5). It could be 2, 3, 4, or even 5 times the amount of your economic damages.
Punitive Damages
Some situations warrant additional compensation for the recklessness or intentional acts of the other person. The court may elect to award punitive damages in these cases. It works as a type of punishment for the party that acted in this manner.
The value of your personal injury case will always be a critical factor as you work towards moving your life forward. This is money you need to pay bills and help you move forward. Maximizing your compensation means determining all your losses and comprehensively understanding your accident’s impact.