If you are filing a personal injury claim, you might be wondering what kind of damages you’re entitled to and how to get them. Facing a personal injury claim on your own is hard. Hiring a lawyer allows you to focus on returning to normalcy, knowing a professional in handling your claim for compensation
Compensatory damages are awarded to help make accident victims whole again by financial means after suffering a loss. They can be divided into two categories, economic damages and non-economic damages.
This form of compensation covers tangible loss such as medical expenses, lost wages, damaged property, lost earning capacity, and any other loss that comes with a price tag. These should cover both current and future medical bills, as your injuries might need more medical care as time passes.
If you’re now disabled due to the injury, you would also need to seek compensation for the ways the disability will change your life. This might include costs for making your home wheelchair accessible or cover the costs that come with having a live-in nurse or other kinds of assistance.
Economic damages also pay for the repairs and replacements of your property. Finally, the losses can also cover funeral expenses if someone passed away as a result of the injury.
These losses are often more difficult to calculate because there is no price tag associated with them. This includes physical pain, emotional anguish, loss of consortium, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Punitive damages are not a form of compensatory damage. They are awarded in addition to compensatory damages as a form of punishment to deter the defendant from repeating such reckless, negligent, or malicious actions in the future. Although punitive damages are not common, speak with your lawyer about their possibility.
If you’re looking for an Austin personal injury lawyer, Gibbs & Crivelli, Slingshot Law is here to help victims in our community make a full recovery. Call us anytime at 800-488-7840 to schedule your free case review.
We also have an online contact form you can fill out and we will get in touch with you.
