What Are the Types of Personal Injury Damages?
If you’ve been injured in an accident as the result of another party’s negligence, you may be eligible to recover financial compensation for damages you’ve incurred as a result. There are two types of personal injury damages:
- Economic damages
- Non-economic damages
These types of compensatory damages may be awarded to injured accident victims to compensate them for financial and personal losses they may have incurred as a result of another party’s negligent behaviour.
If you’ve been seriously injured in an accident, a personal injury lawyer may be able to investigate your case to determine what type of damages you may be entitled to pursue. The value of your case depends on how your accident occurred, who is at fault, and to what extent your economic and non-economic losses have impacted your quality of life.
Compensatory Damages
According to the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, compensatory damages refer to the total amount of monetary compensation the party responsible for an accident must provide to the victim who was injured because of their negligence.
In order to receive compensatory damages, an accident victim’s lawyer must be able to prove that the responsible party’s negligence caused the accident, and that the accident directly resulted in the victim’s injuries. A lawyer may also be able to determine the total cost of both economic and non-economic damages their client incurred as a result of their injuries.
Economic damages are calculable financial losses incurred as a result of your accident. Your lawyer may be able to easily quantify these damages, since their value is often documented in an invoice or receipt. Economic damages may include losses you have already incurred or will incur the future as a result of injuries sustained in your accident. Some examples of economic damages may include:
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation costs
- Ongoing medical care/in-home care
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Adjusted living expenses
- Property damage
- And possibly more
Not all damages can be easily quantified by tabulating invoices. Based on the evidence of your case, your lawyer may have to estimate non-economic damages. If you’ve sustained severe, catastrophic injuries, in addition to your physical pain, you may endure emotional trauma and mental anguish. Although these kinds of damages do not have easily calculable costs, they can be even more impactful than economic losses. Additionally, if your lawyer can anticipate costs you will likely incur in the future as the result of long-term or permanent disabilities sustained in your accident, you may be able to pursue projected damages, as well. Examples of these damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- And possibly more
How Much Your Case Is Worth
Due to all the variables involved, it may be difficult to determine the exact cost of a personal injury claim without the assistance of a lawyer.
A personal injury lawyer may be able represent your interests in conversations with insurance companies and, if you are eligible to pursue additional costs for damages, they may be able to negotiate a new settlement on your behalf. If the settlement amount provided to you does not sufficiently cover your total financial losses, a personal injury lawyer may be able to help you file a lawsuit against the party responsible for your accident, and represent your case in court.
Contact Preszler Injury Lawyers Today
If you’ve been injured in an accident as the result of another party’s negligence, Preszler Injury Lawyers may be able to help you determine what your case is worth. To discuss the details of your case, call Preszler Injury Lawyers today at 1-800-JUSTICE for a free, initial case evaluation.
