If you sustain injuries in New Jersey because of someone else’s negligence or intentional wrongdoing, you can file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party to seek monetary compensation for your damages. Unfortunately, victims of such accidents often face various challenges as they are physically, emotionally, and financially burdened due to their injuries. That said, injured individuals often wonder what types of compensation they can seek in a personal injury lawsuit for their losses. Please continue reading and contact an experienced New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyer who can help you fight to secure the fair compensation that you deserve.
What are the different types of personal injury damages I can pursue?
When filing a personal injury lawsuit, it is common for injured individuals to wonder what type of compensation they can seek for their losses. Generally speaking, damages usually are broken down into two categories: compensatory and punitive. Compensatory damages are intended to reimburse injured individuals for their tangible and intangible losses. Essentially, the purpose of these damages is to make victims “whole” again. Punitive damages, on the other hand, are not meant to compensate victims for their losses. Instead, the purpose of punitive damages is to punish those that are found grossly negligent. An individual or entity is found grossly negligent when they have demonstrated a total disregard for the safety and lives of others. Essentially, punitive damages are ordered when a victim has been intentionally harmed.
Compensatory damages are available to injured individuals in all personal injury cases. They are broken down into two categories: special and general damages. Special, or economic damages, refers to compensation for out-of-pocket monetary losses. Essentially, these losses are quantifiable. Economic damages may include objectively verifiable monetary losses such as medical expenses, lost wages, property damages, household services, and other calculable losses.
General, or non-economic damages, refers to compensation for subjective, non-monetary losses. These damages are not quantifiable. Non-economic damages may include non-monetary losses such as pain, suffering, inconvenience, disfigurement, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of society and companionship, loss of consortium, and other non-calculable losses.
As mentioned above, punitive damages refer to damages awarded for the purpose of punishing those found grossly negligent. Punitive damages are rarely ordered in personal injury lawsuits. However, if the at-fault party used willful or wanton misconduct, they can be awarded to injured individuals. Nevertheless, the primary purpose of punitive damages is to deter reckless behavior that threatens the safety and well-being of others.
If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence or intentional wrongdoing, contact a trusted New Jersey personal injury attorney from the legal team at Falcon Law Firm, who can help you fight for the rightful compensation to which you may be entitled.
