The Difference Between Economic and Non-Economic Damages in Personal Injury Cases

Determining the amount of compensation you deserve after a personal injury accident can be challenging. In personal injury lawsuits, the amount of compensation a victim recovers is referred to as “damages.” Damages include various types of economic and non-economic compensation. In some cases, victims can pursue additional punitive damages. Damages are awarded to those who face losses after an accident.

Economic damages are quantifiable financial losses victims of accidents have incurred. It is easier to put a financial value on economic damages than on non-economic damages. If you have been seriously injured, the bulk of your claim for compensation will likely be for your current and future medical expenses. Medical expenses include hospital bills, surgeries, doctors’ fees, rehabilitation, durable medical equipment, prescription medication, and other healthcare-related costs.

If you need at-home care or adaptive medical equipment, these expenses will also be included in your economic damages calculation. You can also pursue compensation for transportation costs for medical visits and the cost of therapy appointments if you have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, or any other mental health condition caused or exacerbated by the accident.

Another significant portion of your economic damages may include your lost income. If you have been seriously injured, it could take you weeks or even months to recover from your injuries. During your recovery, you will likely be unable to return to work and lose significant income. If you have been disabled for the long term because of your injuries, you will not be able to work and earn a living. In that case, you can pursue compensation for your loss of earning capacity in the future or the income you would have earned if you had been seriously injured in an accident.

If you were in a car accident, you can also pursue compensation for the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle. Even if you were not in a car accident, you may have suffered other types of property damage. For example, if you were injured in a slip-and-fall accident, you may have fallen on your phone and broken it or broken your laptop or other personal belongings.

Victims of accidents can also pursue non-economic damages, which are more difficult to quantify. Specifically, victims can seek non-economic damages for the physical pain and suffering they have endured because of their injuries. Physical pain is suffering includes the immediate pain endured at the time of the accident and any ongoing and chronic pain they suffer from their injuries.

Victims of personal injuries can pursue compensation for the mental anguish and emotional distress they have suffered because of the injury. Being involved in an accident that causes traumatic injuries can often cause ongoing mental health difficulties. Victims of personal injury accidents may have PTSD, sleep disturbances, anxiety, fear, depression, and other types of emotional trauma due to the accident and its aftermath.

Non-economic damages can be recovered for the loss of enjoyment of life a person experiences after they are seriously injured in an accident. Victims may not be able to engage in the activities they once loved, such as playing with their children or grandchildren, going on walks, hiking, and engaging in other life activities. Victims can pursue compensation for the limitations imposed by their injuries.

When an injury affects a person's relationship with their spouse, partner, or other family members, they can pursue non-economic damages for loss of consortium. These types of damages compensate victims for the loss of companionship, affection, emotional support, and intimacy suffered by the injured person.

Calculating personal injury damages can be challenging. Working with an attorney can help you accurately determine the amount of compensatory damages you should pursue. When a defendant acts grossly negligently or recklessly without regard for human life, you may be able to pursue additional punitive damages. Our attorneys regularly work with experts to carefully calculate the full amount of damage our clients deserve.

If you have been seriously injured in an accident that was not your fault, you were not alone. Do not hesitate to contact the experienced attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, to learn how we can aggressively fight for the full amount of compensation you need and deserve. We offer free, no-obligation consultations.