Glossary: Damages

Damages:

Damages can include compensation awarded to a plaintiff after a car accident lawsuit or a pedestrian accident lawsuit. Damages are normally compensatory in nature; their purpose is to restore the injured person to the place they were in before the accident.

In order to understand the damages you may deserve after an accident, you may need to talk to a lawyer about the pain and suffering you have, and will endure, as well as the financial losses faced due to the accident.

Damages in an injury claim or lawsuit break down into different categories: 

1. Special Damages
   

   This is a form of compensatory damage. Special damages are those that have a tangible financial cost or value. You can generally calculate special damages easily, though that is no guarantee that you will actually recover the calculated amount as part of the lawsuit because they need to be proven.
   
   Special damages can potentially include:

   • Medical bills related to an accident, including the cost of ongoing medical care or future anticipated medical costs related to your injuries.
   • The value of any wages lost as a direct result of an accident.
   • The value of repairs or replacement for any property damaged as a direct result of the accident.
   • Lost wages, or diminished earning capacity.

2. General Damages
   

   General damages are intangible losses sustained in an accident. For example, this can include the pain you have to contend with or the emotional anguish associated with pain and limitations.

   General damages can be very difficult to calculate. It is very difficult to put a dollar value on the human experience. But the experience after a car accident can be trying and difficult, and under certain circumstances, the injured person may be entitled to compensation for the pain and emotional anguish associated with the experience.

Hurt in a Car? Call William Mattar

Do you have questions about the damages you sustained in an accident? Contact William Mattar P.C. to speak with an experienced attorney to learn more, or call 844-444-4444.