What Are Non-Economic Damages in Injury Claims?

In personal injury claims, an injured person can demand compensation for the damages they’ve experienced because of someone else’s negligence. Damages can include medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.

Determining damages stemming from medical bills and lost income isn’t necessarily easy, but it’s pretty straightforward. You’ll review the financial costs you’ve suffered (and will continue to suffer) and factor those “economic damages” into your claim.

But pain and suffering aren’t quite so simple. These damages aren’t financial in nature, and they’re referred to as “non-economic damages.” However, don’t let that term fool you. Your pain and your suffering have very real financial consequences, and they’re an essential part of your personal injury claim.

What Are Non-Economic Damages?

Non-economic damages are the consequences of a crash that aren’t financial in nature. Though the terms “pain” and “suffering” are frequently used to describe these damages, it’s important to know that these terms describe serious challenges.

Non-economic damages can include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• PTSD
• Emotional distress
• Disfigurement
• Disability
• Loss of life’s pleasures

In some ways, these challenges are even greater than the financial consequences of an accident. This is why you often see a plaintiff awarded a substantial amount of compensation for their pain and suffering.

Pain and Suffering Also Have a Financial Impact

Non-economic damages is a misleading term. Though pain and suffering are more difficult to put a dollar figure on than economic damages, they have financial repercussions, too.

Chronic pain, depression, and anxiety can be costly conditions to manage. They can also make it more likely that someone will suffer other dangerous medical conditions or find gainful employment.

Experienced attorneys know how important it is to factor in their client’s pain and suffering into the amount they demand from insurance companies.

If You Need Legal Assistance, Contact Ponce Law

At Ponce Law, we have years of experience helping our clients determine how much they deserve in pain and suffering, so we can demand the compensation they’re entitled to. If you’d like to discuss your case, contact our Nashville personal injury attorneys today to schedule a free, no-obligation case assessment.