Coteau Holmes Personal Injury Lawyer

Possible Recoverable Damages in Personal Injury Lawsuits

If you look to pursue a personal injury lawsuit with an attorney, you may be asked to provide documentation that proves all the damages you have suffered from. During a personal injury case, damages are considered “the sum of money the law imposes for a breach of some duty or violation of some right,” as stated by the Legal Information Institute (LII). Essentially, your damages are a cumulative and monetary figure that includes all your losses in the settlement package that is eventually presented to the defendant. Damages may also be considered “compensatory” or “punitive.” According to Cornell Law School, compensatory damages can compensate the plaintiff for loss or injury, while punitive damages are awarded to punish the negligent party. Your damages may also depend on the extent of your accident or personal injuries. For instance, you may experience more medical costs and additional damages when involved in a motor vehicle accident compared to being bitten by a dog. There are a variety of common damages that may be included into a personal injury lawsuit, such as, but not limited to:

• Current medical costs
• Future medical costs
• Lost wages
• Future earnings losses
• Limited earning capacity
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium
• Wrongful death

Once you have begun to identify all your damages, you may then monetize these damages into one figure and present this number in a settlement package. Your damages will play a crucial role in determining how much compensation you may be entitled to via a personal injury lawsuit.