After any kind of personal injury in Charleston, WV, you’ll begin to have expenses that you were not expecting. Chances are you can’t pay them, either, especially if you’re out of work for a while. These expenses are covered and reimbursed by what’s called “damages,” the legal term for financial compensation to take care of the expenses you incurred as a result of the personal injury accident.
A settlement is that all-important sum of money intended to compensate you for these expenses and “make you whole.” But it’s important to understand what goes into a settlement agreement, and why. Here, we’ll discuss the two types of damages you can expect to receive: economic and non-economic.
Type 1: Economic
One of the unfortunate and immediate outcomes of a personal injury case is bills that arrive quickly afterward. If you’re out of work for some time, it’s even more stressful.
Whether you were involved in a car accident, a slip-and-fall, hit while riding a bicycle or motorcycle or were subjected to medical malpractice, economic is the most prominent type of compensation or damages in an accident case.
Most personal injury cases will include damages for:
- Medical expenses, including the past, present, and future expenses
- Lost wages
- Future earning capacity (where applicable)
- Repair and/or replacement of your vehicle
- Repair and/or replacement of other property damage
- This can include things like glasses, jewelry personal electronics (smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc.), and other personal property damaged in the accident
- Reimbursement for a rental car while you were without a vehicle
Post-accident, most of the related expenses are considered economic damages. There may be additional related damages specific to your case for which your personal injury accident attorney will advise you.
It’s important to keep all relevant documents and receipts so that any expenses can be requested as part of your eventual accident settlement.
Type 2: Non-Economic
Despite the name, these are damages for which you can recover financial compensation. While economic damages generally have a purpose (and a receipt), non-economic damages are more subjective. These can include:
- Pain & suffering
- Loss of consortium and enjoyment
- Disfigurement
- Disability
- Emotional distress
Because of the less granular nature of non-economic damages, there isn’t a “formula” to determine the amount you can request or receive. These damages aren’t tied to reimbursement to restore someone to the place they were before the accident, but to immaterial injuries and suffering that can inhibit recovery.
Because no two personal injury cases are the same, it’s important to seek the advice of an experienced Charleston personal injury attorney who can advise you on possible outcomes and how to proceed in your individual situation and help you determine possible damages in personal injury cases.
The Love Law Firm—Charleston, WV’s Personal Injury Firm
If you’ve received a letter or phone call—or many calls and letters—asking you to settle your case, call us immediately. If you take the first offer, you may lose thousands of dollars you need to heal and get back to your life.
Contact Charleston’s The Love Law Firm today at (304) 344-5683 and schedule your appointment with one of our personal injury attorneys. We’ll discuss your case with you, explain your options and what to expect in a personal injury settlement. We offer contingency fee arrangements, and there’s no fee if we don’t win your case.
