Many factors affect the damage done in a car accident, from your speed at impact to the position of your car.
When you sustain an injury in a car accident and the other driver is at fault, you may recover compensation for the financial and personal losses you suffered.
Compensatory damages
When the court awards compensatory damages, the goal is to replace what you lost as a result of your accident and injuries. There are two categories of compensatory damages that cover the tangible and intangible losses:
- Specific damages, also known as economic damages, include the cost of current and future medical treatment, current and future lost income, repair or replacement of your damaged vehicle and other property, loss of earning capacity, and all expenses related to accommodations for your injuries.
- General damages, also known as non-economic damages, have no assigned monetary value. These include pain and suffering, mental and emotional anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, disability, loss of companionship, and loss of consortium.
The value of specific damages comes from bills, receipts, pay stubs, tax forms, and repair estimations. General damages require quantification based on factors related to your case as well as precedent from similar cases.
Punitive damages
The court may award punitive damages in cases where the defendant’s behavior was especially terrible. Punitive damages do not replace losses, rather these punish the defendant and act as a deterrent.
The value of your claim for damages depends entirely on the details of your case and the evidence you have to substantiate your losses.
