Seegmiller Johnson Attorneys > Practice Areas > Personal Injury > Personal Injury Damages

Personal Injury Damages

Personal injury damages is the legal term for monetary compensation you receive from the person at fault for the personal injury they caused you. When you suffer a personal injury caused by another party, you may be able to recover compensation for the losses you endured.

Through a personal injury claim, the court can award you two different types of damages: compensatory damages or punitive damages.

Compensatory damages are awarded as a way to compensate you for economic and non-economic losses you may have endured as a result of your personal injury. Economic losses are specific monetary losses like lost wages, future medical costs, past medical bills, and property damage that can be calculated.

Non-economic losses are a bit more difficult to calculate. Compensatory damages for non-economic losses are awarded for such areas as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of companionship, and permanent disability. Being compensated for these losses can be difficult because it is hard to put a price on areas of your life that don't have a specific dollar amount – such as your income.

Punitive damages are awarded as a way to punish the party who caused your personal injury. Generally, punitive damages are awarded in addition to the compensatory damages.

When you file a personal injury claim, there are several things you must show. First, you must show that the other party's actions or negligence directly caused your personal injury. Then, you must show that your personal injury caused you various economic or non-economic losses.

Due to their complexity, personal injury claims can be difficult to handle alone. In addition, statutes of limitations dictate how much time you have to file you personal injury claim, so it is important that you contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

If another party injures you, contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at Seegmiller Johnson today to schedule your free initial consultation .