Non-economic losses are commonly a part of personal injury cases. Understanding what they are and if you qualify can help you as you navigate your case.
What are Non-Economic Losses?
Non-economic losses refer to the non-monetary damages that occur as a result of a car accident. These are typically intangible losses, which means they’re damages that can be more difficult to calculate. Whereas economic damages include the total value of repair costs or medical bills, there isn’t a specific way to calculate non-economic losses.
Non-economic may losses include:
- The physical pain from an injury
- The emotional pain of being in an accident
- The inability to enjoy a favorite hobby
- The inability to play with children due to an injury
Whereas the compensation for economic damages is meant to reimburse someone for the costs they have spent, non-economic damages are designed to account for a person’s physical or emotional pain. You can’t easily put a value on pain and suffering, and no amount of money will usually fully improve it. However, compensation can help a family deal with the consequences of a life-changing injury.
How to Prove Non-Economic Damages
Proving non-economic damages can be more difficult than proving economic damages. If you’re suing for compensation to cover your medical bills or property damages, submitting the bills or receipts of payments made is usually enough.
Another thing that makes non-economic damages more difficult to value is that they include both current and future damages. This differs from economic damages. If you have to pay for your vehicle to be repaired, a single payment from the responsible party is usually enough to cover the damages because any future damages wouldn’t be their responsibility.
It’s not as easy to estimate the impact of the pain and suffering from an injury in the future. If you’re left with a lifelong injury, you’re likely to have pain and suffering, but how much?
How to Value Non-Economic Losses
There are a few ways to calculate non-economic costs in a personal injury lawsuit. Expert witnesses may be important to your case. Medical and mental health professionals can help demonstrate the extent of the injury in your life. Psychologists can also help with identifying signs of PTSD.
Self-reports can also be valuable to your case when it comes to non-economic costs. This helps the judge or jury better understand what a day in your life is like after the injury compared to before the injury.
Your lawyer may also help to demonstrate a loss of earning capability. It’s difficult to estimate how much you could have made at the peak of your career, but through investigation and expert witnesses, your lawyer will aim to do just that.
Sometimes, it may also be possible to use your medical bills. Insurance companies commonly take the total value of your medical bills and multiply it by a number to calculate an amount. While this may get closer to an appropriate amount, it still may not be enough. When you have been injured in an accident with a life-changing injury, it’s always a good idea to have someone on your side protecting your legal rights.
Contact a Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Personal Injury Case in Florida
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a personal injury in Florida? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Lawlor, White & Murphey represent clients injured because of a personal injury in Fort Lauderdale, Coconut Creek, Pembroke Pines, Pompano Beach, and throughout Florida. Call 954-525-2345 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 2211 Davie Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312, as well as offices in Pembroke Pines, Weston, Coconut Creek, Plantation, and Pompano Beach, FL.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.