Understanding Damages in your Personal Injury Claim

When you have been injured by the actions of another person or business, you have the right to seek compensation for your losses. Often referred to as damages, injury victim has the right to seek damages for economic and non-economic reasons. Every case is different and will qualify for different types of damages and for different amounts. Your Texas personal injury attorney will explain to you what applies specifically to your case.

Economic Damages

All personal injury claims have the right to seek economic damages. These damages will contain compensation for the following items:

• Medical Costs. This will include current and future medical costs related to the injury. This part of the compensation will vary greatly based on the extent of the injury or injuries, the amount of care necessary and the anticipated future care for the victim.
• Wages. This portion of the compensation package will include losses the victim incurred regarding their wages. This will include current and future anticipated losses of earnings as well as benefits. If the employer paid for medical care or contributed to a retirement plan these losses would also be included in the compensation.
• Work Training. If your accident has caused you to lose your ability to perform your specific line of work, your attorney may seek compensation for you so that you can be retrained for a new job position. This does not apply to all cases but is a very important issue that must be addressed, especially for victims that are younger adults.
• Cost of Services. This is a broad range of compensation that will include any additional expenses you may have suffered as a result of your accident or injury. This includes expenses such as:
  • Over-the-counter supplies and medications
  • Additional child care expenses to allow for medical treatment
  • Service providers like cleaning or lawn care because you cannot perform tasks at this time and it was your responsibility to do these things prior to the accident
  • Special transportation costs to and from the doctor

You may also have additional expenses that are not listed here. Your personal injury attorney Dallas TX will go over every type of economic damage you are entitled to based on the facts of your case and explain them to you in detail.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are very specific to a case and may or may not apply to each type of injury. These types of damages include:

• Disfigurement or Impairment. If the injury has caused you to become disfigured or impaired in any physical or mental capacity, you can seek personal damages
• Disability. Any type of personal disability that is a result of your accident can be included as part of the compensation package
• Loss of Enjoyment. If your life has changed because of the physical or mental injuries caused by your accident and you can no longer pursue the activities you once enjoyed, you can seek compensation for your losses
• Pain, Suffering and Mental Anguish. Depending on the type of case you have and the injury received, you may also be able to seek out compensation for pain, suffering and mental anguish. Since this is a very specific form of compensation, your attorney will have to work closely with you to determine the extent of this compensation

It is very important to understand that every case is unique and that different types and amounts of compensation apply. Your Texas personal injury attorney will review your case and the laws that apply to your injury as well as the insurance policy covering the event so that they can seek the most compensation on your behalf.