What Damages Can You Recover in a Personal Injury Claim?

If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you may be able to file a claim against them for compensation. The compensation awarded in a personal injury is known as damages, and they are meant to compensate you for the losses you suffered during the accident. Before filing your claim, it is critical to understand the types of damages you can recover. Below, our Tampa personal injury lawyer explains what these are.

Economic Damages 

Economic damages refer to the losses sustained that have an actual dollar value. Medical expenses, lost income, and property damage are some of the most common types of economic damages. It is easy to assume that because these damages have an actual dollar value, they are easy to calculate, but calculating economic damages is not always so straightforward.

People often fail to take all of their economic damages into account. For example, a person may know the current medical bills they are facing, but may not fully understand what treatment they will need in the future. It is essential to understand the current economic damages you are entitled to, as well as those you will incur in the future. If you accept a settlement without taking these into account, you cannot return to the insurance company in the future to obtain more damages.

Non-Economic Damages 

Unlike economic damages, non-economic damages do not have an actual dollar value. Even so, they are still losses you may incur after an accident and you deserve compensation for them. Reduced quality of life, pain and suffering, and permanent disfigurement are some of the most common examples of non-economic damages.

As non-economic damages do not have a concrete dollar value, they are more difficult to calculate. Personal injury attorneys and insurance companies use established methods of calculating these damages. For example, they may multiply the total value of economic damages by a certain number depending on the severity of the injury. Or, a value may be assigned to the amount of losses per day. That number is then multiplied by the number of days between the accident and your full recovery.

Punitive Damages 

Punitive damages are not awarded in all personal injury claims. In fact, they rarely are. Unlike economic and non-economic damages, punitive damages are not intended as compensation for the losses you suffered. Instead, they are meant to penalize the negligent party and deter them from acting in a similar manner in the future. Punitive damages are only awarded when the defendant acted in an egregious or grossly negligent manner.

Our Personal Injury Attorney in Tampa Can Accurately Value Your Claim 

There are many different types of damages you may be able to claim after someone else’s negligence causes your accident. Obtaining the full settlement you deserve is not easy, though. At Moore Law, our Tampa personal injury attorney can accurately value your claim and negotiate on your behalf so you obtain the maximum compensation you deserve. Call us now at 813-510-5400 or chat with us online to schedule a consultation and to learn more about how we can help with your case.

Source:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0768/Sections/0768.72.html