When a person is hurt as a consequence of someone else’s carelessness, California law allows them to file an injury claim for compensation. Accidents involving automobiles, buses, construction site accidents, and dog attacks are all instances of occurrences that might lead to a tort suit.
The goal of compensation in a personal injury suit is to recompense the sufferer for all of the ways the damage has affected their life. To put it another way, the compensation should return them to their pre-accident status as precisely as feasible. To do this, two forms of compensation may be required: economic and non-economic damages.
Keep reading to learn more about these types of damages and then contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 if you require the help of an experienced personal injury attorney.
Economic losses
Economic damages, often known as special damages, reimburse the sufferer for expenditures incurred as a result of the injury or accident. This might cover both current and future costs. Medical costs for any injuries sustained as a result of the occurrence are the most prevalent kind of economic losses.
Property damages might be sought in the event of an automobile accident to cover damage to the victim’s vehicle. Damages for lost wages would be reasonable if the harm was serious enough to prevent the victim from working. Bills and pay stubs may easily document all of these types of losses. You do not, however, need to have a bill in hand in order to claim compensation for economic losses.
Victims of debilitating injuries that result in long-term or permanent disability can seek compensation for future medical treatment, rehabilitation, physical therapy, nursing care, and vocational rehabilitation, among other things. Medical experts’ assessments will be used to determine the worth of these damages.
Non-economic damages
Non-economic damages, sometimes known as general damages, are intended to recompense personal injury sufferers for intangible losses resulting from the changes in their life caused by the accident. Pain and suffering, mental agony, and loss of consortium are examples of non-economic losses (loss of a relationship with a partner). These losses are calculated using the economic damages’ more concrete losses.
Someone with a big medical bill for a major injury, for example, is believed to be in more pain and suffering than someone with a lower expense and a less serious injury. Putting a monetary value on non-economic losses may be difficult, and it is best done with the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer.
Special cases: punitive damages
Personal injury plaintiffs may be entitled to obtain punitive damages in some instances. The purpose of these damages is to punish the at-fault party rather than to recompense the victim. Punitive damages are only available in California where the at-fault party acts with malice, oppression, or fraud.
If you have questions or want the help of an experienced attorney, contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for help.