Recovering Damages
The law stipulates that if you are injured in an accident and someone else is at fault, you are entitled to be compensated for what your injury cost you. Seeking a monetary settlement in a personal injury suit is called recovering damages. There are two types of damages recognized in a court of law: economic and non-economic.
Economic Damages
As the name implies, economic damages refer to any monetary loss you may have suffered on account of the injuries you sustained during the accident. This includes expenses like:
- Lost wages
- Medical bills
- Car repairs
- Funeral arrangements
Although most personal injury lawsuits are settled out of court, some do make their way to be heard in front of a jury. When seeking to recover economic damages, it is simple for the jury to decide what the defendant(s) should pay you. They simply refer to the dollar amount of what your injury expenses and losses cost you.
Non-economic Damages
When people think of non-economic damages, the first thing that comes to mind is typically pain and suffering. Non-economic damages also cover loss of life or limb, inconvenience caused by injuries, loss of a loved one, and the disruption in the ability to enjoy one’s life. Figuring what kind of monetary value these damages carry is more difficult because there is no set formula.
If you have been injured in an accident or because of someone’s negligence, contact the Appleton personal injury lawyers of Habush, Habush, & Rottier S.C. at 800.472.9334 for more information about your legal rights.