A personal injury lawsuit arises when a person is injured through the fault of another. Under certain circumstances, the injured person may be able to file a claim or lawsuit against the alleged at-fault person. In that lawsuit, the person may be entitled to certain types of damages to compensate them for the injury. Those damages can include compensatory damages and punitive damages.
What are Compensatory Damages?
Compensatory damages are damages that are intended to compensate the injured person for their actual losses. These damages are intended to make the injured person “whole” again. Some compensatory damages are easier to quantify than others. For example, it is not difficult to figure out how much the person should be awarded in lost wages by seeing how much time they had to take off of work. Similarly, calculating medical bills can identify the proper reimbursement for medical expenses to be awarded to the person. Conversely, there are some compensatory damages that cannot be easily quantified like emotional distress, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment and/or loss of consortium.
What are Punitive Damages?
Punitive damages are known as exemplary damages and may be awarded in addition to compensatory damages in a lawsuit. Punitive damages may be awarded in personal injury cases where there is wonton and egregious negligence – injury caused without consideration and complete disregard of the person. These types of damages are not meant to give you back something in return for any injury you sustained, but rather to punish the defendant for their negligent conduct.
If you were injured in an accident, contact our firm today to discuss whether or not you may have a claim, and the types of damages you may be able to recover in a lawsuit..
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If you require experienced legal representation for a matter of Family Law, Supplemental Security Income, Medical Malpractice, Social Security Disability, or Legal Malpractice, Siragusa Law Firm is here to help. Contact our firm today to schedule a consultation so we can discuss your case.
