Are you suffering from a personal injury and don’t know how to claim compensation legally? Well, personal injury claims are very hard to claim if you don’t have all knowledge about the same. Thus, it is essential to have a reliable personal injury lawyer by your side to help you get over a lowball settlement. So, in this guide, we have shared all the details about different types of compensation that you can claim for covering your damages. So, let’s get started!
What Are The Different Types Of Compensation?
When it comes to a personal injury lawsuit, the injured party is seeking compensation from the at-fault party for the injuries and damages that occurred in the whole accident. The damages refer to the monetary amount that is between your lawyer and the other party’s legal counsel in the course of settlement. In case the amount cannot be settled, then the judge or jury settles it in a civil lawsuit.
There are basically two broad categories of damages, namely punitive and compensatory. Punitive damages involve the at-fault party being punished for causing the injuries. On the other hand, compensatory damages are meant to compensate the injured party for all the losses that are directly or indirectly related to the injuries inflicted in the accident. Your lawyer will discuss everything with you and advise you on the best course of action. However, make sure you pick the right partner after reviewing all the New Jersey personal injury lawyers.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are awarded when the defendant goes through complete negligence of the laws, which further leads to an accident and damages to the other party. If you feel that you are a victim where the at-fault party has purposely caused some damage, then you can demand punitive damages and get compensation.
Let us understand this by an example. In a product liability case, if the automobile manufacturer keeps selling a defective part of a vehicle knowingly and you can prove it in the lawsuit, you are entitled to compensation for the punitive damages.
There are some states where the victim is entitled to compensation for punitive damages if the other party has violated anti-discriminatory employment laws.
Compensatory Damages
The purpose of this type of damage is to aid the victim and return the party to the same financial state as he/she was before going through the loss that occurred due to damages from the accident or malicious actions of the responsible party. It further includes economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages or tangible losses can easily elevate the value of the claim for the plaintiff in the lawsuit. There are several things included in the category. Let us have a deep look into them.
- Loss Of Wages
You can get compensation for all the lost wages due to the injuries inflicted in the accident. The income amount that you lost due to your off-time in your work is included in the claim. Moreover, if you cannot return to the same position at your work due to the injuries, then those financial losses should be added to the claim.
- Medical Treatment
The compensation includes the cost of hospital treatment, doctor fees, prescriptions, specialized therapies, rehabilitation, transportation, medical devices, and other relevant expenses associated with the whole treatment process.
- Loss Of Property
The compensation for vehicle damage and loss of other personal things that are damaged or lost in the course of the whole accident.
- Legal Fee Of The Attorney
You can get compensation from the responsible party for the legal costs that occurred in the whole lawsuit.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages or intangible losses are awarded to the victim for the pain and suffering inflicted on the party due to the injuries that occurred in the accident. It is pretty challenging to prove as the pain and suffering cannot be seen in a physical form. Make sure that you present all the hindrances that are caused due to the pain of the injuries in front of the judge or jury to make your suit solid.
Final Verdict
In case you have met with an unfortunate accident, try to gather evidence if you can. Also, seek medical care and police assistance without any fear. Also, contact your personal injury lawyer to get the best assistance in the next course of action.