Types of Compensatory Damages in Person Injury Lawsuits

San Jose industrial work accident lawyers

Our San Jose Lawyers Discuss Personal Injury Cases and Compensation

The biggest percentage of civil litigation is made up of personal injury lawsuits. To file a personal injury case, a person must have sustained injuries or damage to property as a result of negligent or wrongful actions by another person or entity. To win these cases, a San Jose personal injury attorney must be able to prove that the injury was caused by the negligence of the defendant.

Types of Personal Injury Cases

Most common causes for personal injury lawsuits:

  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Medical malpractice
  • Product liability cases
  • Workplace accidents
  • Dog bites

Recoverable Damages in a Personal Injury Case

Once you file a personal injury case, the first step is establishing negligence. This can only be accomplished with the help of experienced San Jose attorneys. Once negligence or the lack of duty of care is established, damages are established. The plaintiff is then able to recover compensation for economic, non-economic, and punitive damages they’ve suffered.

Special Damages

As the name suggests, this refers to the hard costs of the injury. Economic damages may include:

  • Medical costs – this includes ambulance costs, emergency and hospital charges, physician fees, tests, and physical or occupational therapy, among others.
  • Lost income – this refers to all the earnings or wages lost throughout the recovery process.
  • Out-of-the-pocket costs – these include expenses on prescription drugs, medical aids, medical appointments, and any other cost you wouldn’t have incurred were you not injured.

General Damages

This refers to non-economic damages that don’t have a dollar value but have far-reaching effects. They may include; pain and suffering, trauma, loss of the ability to engage in everyday activities, loss of consortium, or even loss of life.

Punitive Damages

These are damages that go beyond compensation of any financial loss. They serve as punishments for malicious or egregious behavior, and are quite rare as they’re usually against big corporations.

Contact a Bay Area Attorney As Soon As Possible

Consulting with a reputable and experienced Bay Area personal injury attorney as soon as the injury happens is the most effective way to ensure that you will be fairly compensated. The Law Office of Farling, Hecht & Davis has some of the best personal injury lawyers in San Jose and our team is here to help.

With over 75 years of combined experience, your personal injury case is in the right hands. Contact us online or at 408-295-6100 for a free consultation.