Damages in a personal injury case are the ways you’ve been harmed. There are two broad categories of damages – economic and non-economic. In our post today, we’ll provide a brief overview of each. We’ll also discuss the importance of involving an experienced injury lawyer to make sure you receive appropriate compensation.
Damages Caused by Negligence
In our line of work, we help clients who have been injured due to a wide range of accidents. These include car collisions, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, dog bites, and more. However, they all have one thing in common: someone else was negligent. In other words, they didn’t take reasonable measures to keep our clients safe from harm.
When someone else is found to be negligent – whether from running a red light or not securing their dangerous dog – they can be held financially responsible for a victim’s damages.
Economic Damages in an Injury Case
Economic damages (sometimes called special damages) are the financial harms a victim has experienced.
Some examples include:
- Doctor and hospital bills
- Prescription drug costs
- Medical devices
- Necessary home modifications
- Lost wages
- Lost future earnings potential
Depending on what happened, economic damages in an injury case can be significant. Imagine, for instance, if a sole financial provider becomes disabled in a car crash and is unable to return to work. This could place a significant financial burden on the entire family. Another example is when a child is injured in birth and now requires life-long medical care.
Non-Economic Damages in an Injury Case
Non-economic damages (sometimes also called general damages) refer to the subjective ways a victim has been harmed. While these are harder to pin a dollar amount on, they are often far more distressing to victims than financial hardships.
Non-economic damages can include:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Embarrassment
- Disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
- Depression, anxiety, PTSD
- Loss of relationship
A fair settlement should seek to address both the economic and non-economic damages the injured victim faces.
How an Injury Attorney Can Help
Any time you are facing a serious injury with high damages, you should reach out to an injury attorney! There are several reasons for this:
- Insurance companies don’t often play fair.
- An attorney can help you discover a true, fair value for your case so you don’t accept a low offer.
- Sometimes, there is more than one source of compensation you can pursue. An attorney can identify all sources of potential funds.
- In the event negotiations stall, an attorney can take your case to court.
Best of all, having an attorney on your side means you can focus on your recovery. To get started, why not call a Tacoma personal injury attorney today to see if we can help.
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