There are two types of damages in personal injury and wrongful death claims. Damages that compensate you for what you have suffered and lost are called “compensatory” damages. These damages include your medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and money to compensate you for the results of your injuries. The second type of damages is called “punitive” damages and is meant to punish the wrongdoer for injuring you. For instance, the manufacturer of a defective product might be liable for punitive damages if they knew of the defect but continued to produce and sell the dangerous product anyway. Specific compensatory damages include:
- past and future medical and hospital expenses
- physical pain and suffering
- mental anguish/emotional distress inconvenience
- physical impairment
- disfigurement
- lost wages
- loss of earning capacity
- loss of love and companionship caused by the death of a loved one
- funeral expenses
- damage or destruction of property
- loss of enjoyment of life
For more information, please review our Wrongful Death page.
