Victims of personal injuries may be entitled to fair compensation. Compensation can provide financial relief as a result of an accident.
There are two types of damages that could be collected with a successful lawsuit: economic and non-economic damages. Here is what you should know about each:
4 types of economic damages
Economic damages can include any actual financial losses caused by a personal injury.
- Medical bills: A victim may be charged for their hospital stay, medicine, use of medical equipment, surgery and home care. Medical bills can lead to extreme debt depending on the type of care a victim needs.
- Lost wages: A victim may lose wages as they recover from their injuries. A victim may lose the ability to work, affecting their future earning capability.
- Property damages: The defendant may have caused damage to a victim’s property, such as their vehicle, electronics or home.
- Funeral costs: Surviving family members of the victim may seek to recover burial or cremation costs.
Economic damages are often easy to discover. These types of damages can be collected through bills, receipts and tax returns.
3 types of non-economic damages
Non-economic damages are intangible losses that may affect the victim physically or psychologically. A victim can recover non-economic damages such as:
- Pain and suffering: The victim may suffer emotional distress, mental anguish, depression or anxiety as a result of an accident. Furthermore, an injury may have caused a victim to suffer long-term pain and physical discomfort.
- Disfigurement: A victim may have suffered extreme injuries that left them disfigured. Their disfigurement may affect their emotional capacity or limit their mobility.
- Loss of companionship: An accident may have led to a wrongful death, affecting the victim’s spouse and their surviving family.
Legal guidance can help victims explore their compensation options after a personal injury.