What to Know About Non-Economic Damages in Personal Injury Cases
If you are thinking about taking legal action against a negligent party who caused your personal injury, you must understand the kinds of damages you can recover. In personal injury claims, damages are often categorized into economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages refer to tangible losses that have monetary value like lost wages, property damage, and medical bills. Meanwhile, non-economic damages are intangible losses. The Law Office of Brian P. Azemika can help you recover the non-economic damages you may deserve depending on your injuries and their impacts on your life.
What are Non-Economic Damages?
These damages are compensation for intangible losses you have sustained due to an injury. They can’t be quantified with specific dollar amounts from receipts and bills. Usually, they include the following:
- Pain and suffering. These damages cover the emotional and physical pain you experience because of your injury.
- Emotional distress. This is related to emotional health challenges such as anxiety and depression that can arise from a bodily injury.
- Loss of life enjoyment. If an injury limits your ability to enjoy life pleasures such as hobbies, you can seek compensation for such loss.
- Loss of consortium. If your injury resulted in loss of companionship, sexual relations, or affection, you can seek damages for loss of consortium.
How to Calculate Non-Economic Damages
Typically, non-economic damages are calculated by considering the following:
- The seriousness of your injury. In general, the more serious your injury, the higher your damages. Often, permanent injuries or those that require extensive recovery lead to higher compensation.
- Effect on lifestyle. If your injury seriously changes or limits your lifestyle, everyday activities, and hobbies, this can increase the non-economic damages you can seek.
- Emotional effects. Psychological evaluations may be utilized to quantify your injury’s emotional effects.
- Jury perception. The jury’s perception of you and your injury can influence non-economic damage determination. The jury may take into account factors like your credibility, the conduct of the defendant, and the reasonability of the award.
The Role of Your Injury Lawyer
A skilled personal injury lawyer can help you win the compensation you deserve and need. They will evaluate the value of your damages according to certain facts and past similar cases. They will collect evidence like expert opinions, medical records, and witness testimony to strengthen and support your claim. Also, your attorney can negotiate a fair settlement with an insurer. If an insurance company refuses to settle your case for a fair amount, your attorney can take your case to court.
