Financial Compensation for Personal Injury Claims

What is my claim worth?

The main primary of personal injury lawsuits is to offer injured parties the opportunity to recover "compensatory damages" that will enable them to rebuild and move on with their lives. The awarding of this financial compensation is done to compensate the victim for the injuries he or she has experienced in order to rebuild to the same or similar position as before the injury occurred. In some cases, particularly those involving catastrophic injuries or the wrongful death of a loved one, this is simply impossible. However, recovering financial compensation can help a plaintiff (injured party or a family who has lost a loved one) face a more secure financial future, something that can lead to less stress and headache in the long run. In cases where less serious injuries have been experienced and lasting damage has not been caused, financial compensation may enable the plaintiff to fully rebuild and move on with his or her life.

Complications may arise in personal injury suits when the guilty party denies responsibility or there is more than one liable party. Indeed, if it is a joint-fault accident and you are even nominally responsible for the accident or resulting injuries, you may not be able to recover any damages. A personal injury attorney can give you more information regarding your state laws, personal liability and whether or not you have an eligible case.

There are different types of personal injury damages that may be awarded:

Economic Damages
Though the specific damages may vary on a case by case basis, the basic definition of economic damages are those awarded for tangible injuries, expenses and losses. This may include medical bills, lost wages, future medical expenses and future loss of earnings. It may also include property damage or loss and any other financial losses that a victim has experienced or may experience in the future as a result of his or her injuries. In a wrongful death claim, this may also include funeral costs.

Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are a slightly more complex type of financial compensation that may be awarded in a personal injury case. This involves losses or damages sustained that are not easily quantifiable in monetary terms, such as emotional trauma, loss of consortium (in a wrongful death claim), pain and suffering, psychological trauma and other intangible injuries or losses. In some states, there are limits to the amount of non-economic damages that may be awarded in an injury claim.

The right of an injured victim to recover financial compensation is essential to his or her ability to face a better and brighter future – in spite of the serious injuries or loss that he or she may have experienced. Financial compensation can also serve as a punishment to the responsible party in the form of punitive damages, when this applies. Filing a personal injury claim and seeking compensation can also serve to increase awareness of the responsible party's negligence or that specific type of injury claim.

Discuss your right to compensation and the value of your claim with a skilled professional. Find a personal injury lawyerin your area.