From dog bites to major pile-ups, personal injuries can leave us struggling under a heap of medical debt and emotional damage. If your personal injury was caused by the actions or negligence of someone else, you may be owed compensation for the expenses and suffering you’ve faced. A Weslaco personal injury lawyer can help determine what you’re owed and get you the compensation you deserve.
Keep reading to learn more about the different types of compensation that may be available to you after a Weslaco personal injury.
What Compensation Is Available for Weslaco Personal Injuries?
Personal injuries can harm us in a wide range of ways, and most personal injury compensation is meant to help make up for that harm. This means you may be able to get compensation for any harm you’ve suffered as a result of your injury. However, more compensation may be available in some cases. You may be eligible for more than 100% coverage if the defendant in your case acted willfully or maliciously.
Compensatory vs. Punitive Damages
The two primary types of compensation covered in personal injury cases are compensatory and punitive damages. Compensatory damages are meant to directly compensate victims for specific harm and damages they face, including medical bills and pain and suffering. Punitive damages, on the other hand, are not meant to make up for any loss. Instead, punitive damages are meant to punish defendants for wrongdoing and discourage repeat offenses.
Compensatory Damages: What’s Included?
The harm done to us by personal injuries often extends far beyond what can be seen with the naked eye. Compensatory damages are meant to compensate for both concrete physical harm and emotional suffering. Because of this, compensatory damages are usually split into two categories: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are meant to compensate for the financial harm you face due to an injury or accident. This can include both current and future expenses. While calculating future financial suffering can be complicated, most economic damages can be calculated using things like receipts and pay stubs.
Economic damages can include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning power
- Disability
- Transportation costs
- Therapy bills
- Property repairs or replacement
- Funeral expenses
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are meant to compensate victims for the non-financial harm they’ve faced. As such, economic damages can’t be calculated using simple addition and receipts. Instead, non-economic damages are usually calculated using the multiplier method: the total amount awarded for economic damages is multiplied by a number between 1.5 and 5 depending on the severity of your case. Even if the multiplier method is used, you will still need to provide proof of the specific suffering you’ve faced.
Forms of non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- PTSD and other mental illnesses
- Reduced quality of life
- Lost relationships
- Lost reputation
- Disfigurement and scarring
Getting compensation for non-economic damages can often be more difficult than getting financial relief for damages that are more easily proven. If you feel you’re owed non-economic compensation, a Weslaco personal injury lawyer can help you make a strong case for financial relief.
Get Personal Injury Compensation With Help From a Weslaco Personal Injury Lawyer
Being involved in a personal injury can be incredibly stressful, and that doesn’t even include the stress of seeking compensation. If you’ve been injured in Texas, let the team at The Lopez Law Group take some of the weight off of your shoulders. We can help you make a strong case or claim for personal injury compensation.
Don’t face the process of seeking personal injury relief on your own. Get help from a reliable Weslaco personal injury attorney like those here at The Lopez Law Group.
