Most people think that if you are injured in an accident caused by the negligence of another person, you can be compensated for any financial losses or expenses that result from the accident, such as:
- Medical bills;
- Property repair;
- Physical therapy;
- Rehabilitation;
- Diminished earning capacity
- Loss of wages; or
- Out-of-pocket expenses
And this is correct. These are called “economic” damages. If proven, you can recover economic damages when you file a personal injury claim. But you may not know that in Louisiana, you can also recover for “non-economic” damages that you suffered as a result of an accident.
Suppose you suffered non-economic damages as a result of an accident in Louisiana. In that case, a Baton Rouge personal injury attorney can help you navigate the personal injury claims process and pursue maximum compensation for your non-economic damages.
What Are Non-Economic Damages?
In any personal injury case, non-economic damages are the intangible injuries that any personal injury accident victim might suffer. However, the value may be different for each individual victim, depending on how the specific injury suffered uniquely affected that victim.
For example, Victim A and Victim B might experience pain and suffering and emotional distress after suffering dog bites from a dog whose owner negligently let the dog loose onto the victims’ property. Even if Victims A and B each suffered similar dog bite injuries, each victim’s pain and suffering and emotional distress could be very different.
These injuries are non-economic injuries because they are not directly attributed to a specific economic value. Instead, each injury is unique and subjective for each victim. Therefore, although both victims claim the same injuries, the values attributed to the injuries could be very different.
Each victim must prove the value of their respective injuries to receive compensation. This can be challenging to do without the help of an experienced legal team on your side.
Pain and Suffering
Physical or emotional injuries can lead to pain and suffering damages. A victim of a car accident might suffer physical injuries, such as a broken bone or traumatic head injury, from which they endure physical pain and emotional suffering. If you suffer physical or emotional injuries after an accident, you may be compensated for the pain and suffering that accompanies those injuries.
Physical Impairment
To recover physical impairment damages, you must prove that, as a result of a physical injury suffered in an accident, you are no longer able to participate in activities that you used to participate in before the accident. So, for example, if an accident victim was an avid golfer before the accident but, as a result of a broken collarbone suffered in the accident, they are no longer able to swing a golf club, they could recover damages for their physical impairment.
Emotional Distress
An accident victim may also suffer emotionally with anxiety, fear, mental anguish, depression, or any other debilitating emotional state that results from being in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence. Emotional distress damages are compensable. An attorney can help you establish the maximum compensation value for your emotional distress damages.
Loss of Enjoyment
The law values a person’s enjoyment of life. When an accident victim suffers a loss of enjoyment of life as a result of the negligence of another person, the victim may be compensated for that loss.
Loss of Consortium
An accident victim’s injuries often can negatively affect the victim’s relationships when the victim can no longer provide the same love, affection, and companionship that they provided to loved ones before their accident. This diminished capacity is called “loss of consortium” and is compensable under any personal injury claim.
How Do I Prove Non-Economic Damages?
Because non-economic damages are subjective and unique to each victim, it is difficult to attribute a specific value to your injuries without a full analysis of your condition. An experienced personal injury lawyer will be able to discuss with you what you can expect to recover for your non-economic damages. They will also consult experts to help establish the extent of your emotional suffering if necessary. For a free consultation to discuss the value of your claim, call a personal injury lawyer. They will assess your condition and help you obtain full compensation for your injuries.
A Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You Recover Non-Economic Damages
If you want to be fully compensated for all of your economic and non-economic damages, let an experienced personal injury lawyer handle your claim. They will fight for the maximum value for your injuries and negotiate with the insurance companies for a full settlement or fight to win your case at trial. Don’t settle for less than you deserve. Consult an experienced personal injury lawyer for help with a non-economic damages claim if you were injured as a result of someone else’s negligence or intentional wrongdoing.
