Compensatory damages are the most common form of monetary award in successful personal injury lawsuits. This is true because most personal injury lawsuits are based on negligence. As a general rule, plaintiffs in simple negligence cases may recover only compensatory damages. Compensatory damages are monetary payments intended to make the plaintiff “whole.” That is, they are awarded to compensate the plaintiff for actual losses he or she has suffered or will incur in the future because of the defendant’s conduct.
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Placing a value on property damage is very simple, as cars and any other property can be accurately appraised and accounted for in a claim. However, for personal injury there are many complexities to account for to determine a specific value, and contacting a qualified personal injury attorney is recommended to accomplish the task correctly.
Compensatory damages cover both economic losses and non-economic losses. Economic losses include actual out-of-pocket expenses the plaintiff has paid or will pay in the future because of the defendant’s wrongdoing. An example of an economic loss would be the costs associated with repairing one’s damaged car following an automobile accident. Non-economic losses are commonly referred to as pain and suffering damages. They include compensation for such things as embarrassment, humiliation or grief.