There can be a lot of expenses associated with a personal injury. The more the expense, the more you can claim and often acquire. Whether this means you receive a settlement from the insurance company or from the responsibility party after a lawsuit, the following are some damages you can claim in your personal injury case.
Special Damages
Special damages following a personal injury are often easy to compute because they are based off hard costs. Your lawyer can help you gather receipts, bills and other statements that show how much you’ve paid so you can come up with an amount. Some common special damages include:
- Medical Expenses – When you receive medical care, you should always request a copy of the bill. If your health insurance is covering the cost, or you qualify for workers’ compensation, you should still request the bill. Some medical costs include ambulance services, emergency room care, medical tests, physician fees, hospital room fees, physical therapy costs, prescription medication expenses and more.
- Personal Property Repairs – Not every personal injury case will include personal property costs for repair or replacement, but many do. A car accident would most likely lead to auto repairs, and other incidents could result in jewelry, cell phones, clothes, equipment and other items needing a replacement or repair.
- Lost Wages – Any earnings you lost because of your injury could qualify as damages. This includes your regular wages, but could also include lost opportunities for overtime or having to use your sick or vacation pay while you recover.
- Other Expenses – There seems to always be additional expenses that count as out-of-pocket expenses. This could include gasoline for when you drive a long distance to medical appointments. It could include costs for a rental car. Basically, anything you had to pay for as a direct result of your injuries could be included.
General Damages
General damages are not as easy to compute because they are non-economic losses, but most attorneys have an algorithm they use. These damages could include emotional distress, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, loss of enjoyment of life, and other similar issues that were a direct result of the injuries.
Punitive Damages
In some cases, the defendant could have acted in such an egregious way, the judge determines there should be a more severe punishment. This happens in cases such as drunken driving, intentional harm to an individual and other similar cases. If your case qualifies as one of these types of cases, there’s a possibility a jury or judge will award punitive damages.
Learning About Damages Related to Your Case
Each personal injury case is unique and will require a personalized look. To discuss the damages related to your case, contact a personal injury lawyer, like from The Law Offices of Konrad Sherinian, LLC, today.
