Types of Personal Injury Compensation
When you file a lawsuit hoping to recover money for harm you suffered, that compensation is called “damages.” The types of damages you can recover in a personal injury case in Chico, CA are divided between economic and non-economic damages. The goal of awarding damages is to “make the plaintiff whole again,” or to get them as close to their financial and overall situation before the accident.
If you have a personal injury case and want to recover damages, it’s important that you contact an attorney in Chico, CA to help guide you through the legal process. The Law Offices of Max G. Arnold, Inc. can help you file your case and fight to get you the maximum amount of damages possible. Read on for an overview of the different types of damages, then call to get started.
Economic damages
Economic damages are a kind where it’s easy to determine a specific monetary amount, such as medical bills, lost wages, property damage and even lost earning capacity. When you ask for economic damages, you will need to supply evidence of the harm you suffered. Your attorney will help you gather paperwork to prove what you lost as a result of the accident or injury—this could be medical paperwork, pay stubs, insurance claims, photographs and other documentation and testimony. The more complete your documentation, the more likely you are to be awarded economic damages.
Non-economic damages
Non-economic damages are harder to put a monetary value upon—after all, there’s no documentation to calculate what the value of your emotional distress may be—but the court will try to do so to make you whole again.
Non-economic damages include emotional distress, pain and suffering, loss of use of limbs and other physical impairments, disfigurement, inconvenience, loss of consortium (not being able to be a partner to your spouse or significant other) and loss of enjoyment. Depending on your specific injuries, you may qualify for one or all of these ways to recover.
The type of damages you’re claiming will determine the kind of evidence that you and your attorney will need to supply. For example, a psychologist or therapist may be able to testify on your behalf as to the emotional distress you suffered and how it’s affecting your ability to perform everyday tasks. The goal is to prove that the fallout from your injury is a direct result of the defendant’s recklessness or negligence, and has had a significant impact on your daily life.
Naturally, non-economic damages are much more complicated to prove. However, the more evidence you and your attorney are able to provide, the more likely the defendant will be to settle out of court, or that a jury will award non-economic damages in whole or in part.
If you have been injured as a result of someone’s negligence or carelessness, or for more information about the types of damages awarded in personal injury cases in Chico, CA, call the Law Offices of Max G. Arnold, Inc. today for a consultation. We’ll fight to help you recover damages to the fullest extent possible.
Categorised in: Personal Injury Lawyer