Personal injury claims are designed to help you recover compensation for injuries and losses you incur due to another person or entity’s negligence or wrongful act. If you are a victim of this type of accident, you may wonder what type of damages you can recover.
While each accident is unique and has unique specifications, some general damages apply to almost every case. Keep reading to learn what these are.
Compensatory damages
Compensatory damages include economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are the ones that have a definitive total, thanks to receipts and other documentation. Some examples of economic damages you can recover in your personal injury claim include:
- Medical bills (past, present and future related to the accident)
- Loss of wages
- Property damage
These are just a few examples.
Non-economic damages are more challenging to quantify. That’s because they are subjective and based on the injuries and damages caused by the accident. Because of this, non-economic damages are typically extremely different from one case to the next.
Some examples of non-economic compensatory damages include:
- Mental anguish
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Punitive damages
In some cases of negligence or malice, punitive damages can also be recovered. These damages are specifically meant to punish the at-fault party. Remember that these damages are only awarded in the most egregious cases.
Recovering compensation for your personal injury accident
If you file a personal injury lawsuit against someone, knowing the types of damages you can recover can be beneficial. Each case is unique, so the type and amount of damages you receive will vary.
