The Most Common Damages in Personal Injury Cases

Filing a lawsuit against a person who hurt you is something that you may not feel like you want to tackle. After all, it was an accident, and your medical insurance is going to cover the bills.

However, failing to take legal action against a negligent individual may prove detrimental to you and others down the road. If the person who hurt you continue to act in a negligent manner, then others may get hurt. You may find out that the damage to you is worse than once thought, and you are going to need extensive medical care and rehabilitation down the road. If you want too long, you may no longer be able to sue and collect damages. Find out more about what kind of award you can get out of a personal injury lawsuit.

Compensatory Damages

The main kind of financial award courts award plaintiffs in personal injury suits are compensatory damages. These are things like:

• Medical bills (past, present, and future)
• Loss of wages (past, present, and future)
• Home bills
• Lost vacation plans

Each of these items above has a concrete and tangible cost associated with it. You can present evidence to a judge setting forth the amount you lost. Thus, compensatory damages are most often awarded in personal injury lawsuits.

General Damages

An injury often brings about a ripple effect in the life of the plaintiff. Aside from causing a change in the trajectory of your professional life, it may alter other areas of your personal life, like the relationship with your children and spouse. General damages are immeasurable. These are claims for compensation for the loss of enjoyment of your life. It includes claims for pain and suffering, two things that are hard to put a price tag on. However, with the help of the proper witnesses and evidence, plaintiffs can make a claim for general damages successfully.

Punitive Damages

The least common type of financial award in a personal injury lawsuit involves punitive damages. This is a pecuniary punishment the judge imposes on the defendant. Many times, this amount is extremely high and meant to act as a deterrent to make the plaintiff think twice before engaging in the negligent behavior again. Judges may impose this award in cases where the act was particularly egregious, such as drunk driving or medical malpractice.

If you find yourself on the receiving end of an injury caused by someone who was behaving recklessly, your life may have altered course as a result. It is a good idea to consider consulting with a personal injury lawyer, like a Personal Injury Attorneys Milwaukee, WI, to explore your options before the statute of limitations runs out.

Thank you to Hickey & Turim SC for their input into personal injury law.