When a personal injury lawsuit has to be filed due to a slip
or fall, car accidents, or any kind of injury, one might wonder what their case
is really worth. The answer to this is the “extend of damages” – what the
injuries have cost a person financially, physically, and mentally.
In a personal injury lawsuit, the injured person (plaintiff)
will receive money by the person or business found responsible for the accident
(defendant). After a negotiated settlement, the two parties, their insurance
companies, and their Akron personal injury attorneys, can agree upon a damage award.
Given below is an explanation of the various kinds of
damages which may occur is personal injury cases:
Compensatory Damages in Personal Injury Cases
Most personal injury damages are classified as
"compensatory", which means that they are aimed to compensate the
injured for the loss that occurred due to the accident. A compensatory damages
award is supposed to compensate the plaintiff financially by assigning a dollar
figure on the consequences of the accident. Compensatory damages like medical
bills or reimbursement for property damage are easy to quantify, but it is
difficult to assign a monetary value on the physical suffering of an
individual.
Here's a list of the types of compensatory damages common in
many personal injury cases:
Medical Treatment
This includes reimbursing the cost of medical treatment that
the injured has received and compensating for the projected cost of treatment
needed in future.
Income
This is the
compensation received for the impact on the injured person’s salary due to the
accident. It not only includes the income that he/she may have already lost but
also the potential salary that they could’ve earned in future if it wasn’t for
the accident.
Property Loss
If a personal belonging like a car, clothing, or any other
item was damaged due to the accident, reimbursements have to be made for
compensation or repairs as per fair market value.
Pain and Suffering
The plaintiff might be entitled to receive compensation for
the pain or discomfort that he/she suffers from as the aftermath of the
accident.
Emotional Distress
Emotional distress damages compensate a plaintiff for the
psychological impact of an accident or injury, such as fear, anxiety, or loss
of sleep.
Loss of Enjoyment
If the result of the accident keeps the plaintiff from
enjoying daily life activities like hobbies, exercise or other recreational
activities, he/she may be reimbursed for "loss of enjoyment" damages.
Loss of Consortium
This is a compensation for the plaintiff’s inability to
maintain a healthy relationship with their spouse and is usually reimbursed to
the injured person’s husband/wife.
Punitive Damages in Personal Injury Cases
In a case where the defendant’s actions are deemed as
outrageously careless, he/she might have to pay punitive damages apart from
compensatory damages award, as a means to punish the defendant for their
careless behavior.
Understanding each damage award and determining how much
reimbursement you are entitled to after an accident can be challenging. It is
always advisable to seek professional help from an Ohio personal injuryattorney to ensure that you receive the damage award that you deserve.
