Possible Damages You Can Recover in a Personal Injury Lawsuit

The payout you may receive as the victim of a personal injury can include more than just money to reimburse you for medical bills and lost income. There are several types of damages for which victims are eligible. To be clear, “damages” in the context of a personal injury payout does not refer to damage of physical property such as vehicles or houses. Instead, it simply is a term that refers to money that is paid to victims to compensate as an attempt to make whole and/or restore a person to where they were before the injury.

Economic (Special) Damages

Medical Bills. As well as medical care needed in the immediate aftermath of a personal injury, victims can also pursue this for future medical bills, such as physical or mental therapy.

Lost Income. If the injury is severe enough to put someone out of work for any length of time, they should file for lost income/wages in order to recoup their losses. This claim can include bonuses or scheduled raises.

Property Damage. The cost of repairing physical property is a potential avenue for personal injury victims to recover damages.

Non-Economic Damages

Apart from special damages, there are non-economic, or general, damages that you may file for in their personal injury lawsuit. These can be more difficult to be awarded in a claim, however, because they are not as easily quantifiable.

Loss of Consortium. This type of damage is often referred to as “loss of companionship.” Individuals who are no longer able to enjoy the benefits of being in a romantic relationship after an injury to their partner may pursue this damage type on behalf of the injured party. See August’s blog for a more in depth look.

Physical Impairment. A common example of this is an arm or leg that had to be amputated after an injury.

Pain and Suffering. An injury that had adverse physical, mental, or emotional effects beyond the recovery may necessitate filing for pain and suffering.

Punitive Damages

Special and general damages are considered “compensatory” damages because they are funds that compensate the victim or victims’ loved ones after a serious injury. One more type is punitive, which aims to punish the negligent party. Strict requirements must be satisfied for punitive damages to be awarded, however.

It is ideal for injured parties to retain the services of an experienced attorney to handle their case. For a knowledgeable and empathetic personal injury lawyer, contact McKINNON LEGAL more about how we can help.

Share