Personal Injury law occurs when one experiences physical or psychological harm. The injury is the cause of another person’s or business’ wrongful conduct or carelessness. In case of personal injury, the victim gets to file a lawsuit and is compensated for a Personal Injury Claim.
It’s, however, essential to realize that not every injury results in a claim or legal liability. Liaise with the right lawyer to know when injuries are entitled to personal injury claims. When hiring a lawyer, ensure they’re from a recognized and certified firm such as Turner Freeman.
They are two main categories of personal injury compensations: compensatory damages and punitive damages. The two categories further split into the types of personal injury compensations highlighted here:
Compensatory Damages
They reimburse you for the losses caused by your injury. Compensatory damages are classified into special compensatory damages and general compensatory damages.
Special Compensatory Damages
Here you are compensated for financial or monetary losses caused by your injury. They are also known as economic damages. Some of the types of special compensatory damages are:
- Medical expenses- With every serious injury you get, money is spent on the hospital towards treatment. The longer the treatment period, the more bills add up. Through medical expenses, you have settled the incurred treatment cost. The compensation caters to present and future expenses that are related to the injury.
- Damage of property expenses-You get paid for any item you owned that was also destroyed in the incident. These expenses also include any repairs and replacements of said property.
- Loss of earning capacity- Occurs when an injury renders you unable to work and earn your wages. Thus, you are entitled to the income you lost and are set to lose in the future.
General Compensatory Damages
General damages are reimbursements for injuries not easily valued by money. They can be hard to quantify; however, they are still compensated. Some examples include:
- Pain and suffering-A long-lasting physical pain and inclined mental suffering caused by the injury are compensated. The final value is determined by medication required, recovery period, and injury permanence.
- Loss of consortium-If you’re married, your partner is eligible for compensation when you get injured. These damages compensate for emotional distress caused by the partner’s injuries. They are rare and mostly awarded in wrongful death cases.
- Lower quality of life-Personal injuries normally set you back ability-wise. You may lack the ability to do things you did, hence enjoy your life less. Injuries such as amputations are liable to compensation.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are punishments for the wrongful party responsible for injuries or death. They are mostly granted when the defendant is malicious or committed a criminal act.
Note that your partial involvement in an accident that caused your injuries reduces the amount of compensation. In most states, you are required to take care and lessen the severity of the injuries. Failure to do that may lead to lower compensation. Always ensure you have evidence to support your claims and a good lawyer. With that, you can file and get compensated for your injuries.
