The Difference between Economic and Non-Economic Damages in Your Personal Injury Claim

When accidents occur that are not your fault, you have the right to claim for damages. However, it must be noted that the calculation for damages depends on the extent of the losses suffered by the injured person. Damages normally include medical bills to treat injuries sustained or cost to fix or repair damaged property. In some cases, it can also include more than monetary damages.

When it comes to personal injury cases, two basic forms of damages can be claimed – economic and non-economic or also referred to by some as “general” or “special” damages. If you miss work due to accidents caused by negligence, you can claim for lost wages. You can also claim for recovery of future wages or loss of earning capacity if the damages sustained from the accident prevented you from working in the future.

To know what type of damages you can claim, you need a skilled personal injury lawyer to assess your case. We at Babcock Partners are well-trained and knowledgeable in the field of personal injury litigations.

Economic (General) vs Non-Economic (Special) Damages

Accidents lead to injuries, lost wages, high medical bills, fatalities (at its worst) and extensive amount of suffering and pain. When trying to claim for damages, it is important to know and understand what type of losses you have suffered or ways that you have been affected by such accident.

The simplest way to differentiate one from the other is to know that the one is more tangible or certain than the other, despite both being considered “real’ damages.

Economic Damages

Directly refers to as the “bottom line expenses” or how the victim is financially affected by the accident caused by the negligent party. These are the financial compensation you can claim or receive in place of all the monetary losses due to the accident. Economic damages can be quantified in terms of a specific dollar value for a service the loss to make money or the service provided to treat the injuries. Economic damages are also referred to as measurable, real causes.

•      Medical Expenses
•      Loss of Income
•      Loss of Business/Work Opportunities due to Injuries Suffered
•      Cost or Expenses Incurred for Repairing or Replacing Damaged Properties
•      Additional Child Care Expenses
•      Additional Transportation Expenses
•      Non-Economic Damages

These are the damages that are non-quantifiable and intended to compensate the plaintiff for the loss (es) that he/she feels that are based on actual and tangible expenses. They cannot be calculated by simply adding up all the invoices or medical bills.

•      Mental Anguish
•      Emotional Distress
•      Physical Suffering
•      Severe Pain
•      Impairment, permanency or disfigurement
•      Loss of Companionship or Consortium
•      Loss of the Ability to Enjoy Life
•      Loss of One’s Reputation in the Community

One other difference between economic and non-economic damages is that the latter are not out-of-the-pocket expenses. Non-economic or special damages normally vary case-by-case and are highly subjective.

Baton Rouge Personal Injury Lawyer

By properly identifying the kind of losses incurred, it is easy to litigate and document your case against the party at-fault. If you need a professional, skilled, and reliable Baton Rouge, Louisiana personal injury attorney, contact us at Babcock Partners. We have successfully helped many people recover from the losses from the negligent party or entity.