San Diego Personal Injury Attorney

Non-Economic Damages for Personal Injury Claims

If you or someone you love was injured in an accident in the San Diego area, you may be interested in finding out what you can do to hold the responsible party accountable. You may be entitled to financial compensation for economic and non-economic damages, which can help you rebuild and move on with your life. As a San Diego personal injury lawyer who has been working in this field for more than 20 years, our founding attorney is prepared to help you. Attorney Mark Bush may be able to answer the question that's on your mind: "What is my case worth?"

A personal injury may be described as a physical or emotional injury suffered by a person. This may range from injuries caused by a car accident to defamation of character to a death caused by a defective product. When a person experiences a personal injury, he or she may seek financial compensation from the individual or company that was responsible for causing his or her injuries. The victim may be able to seek compensation for economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages may include losses or expenses that can be quantifiable because they have had a financial impact on the victim. For example, medical expenses and lost wages may be considered economic damages. Property damage may also fall under this category. Non-economic damages are a somewhat more complicated topic, as they involve a victim seeking compensation for damages that are not financially quantifiable. This may include pain and suffering, emotional trauma, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life or loss of companionship (in the case of a lost loved one). Attempting to put a fair value on non-economic damages may prove a daunting task.

Putting a Fair Value on Non-Economic Damages

The tricky thing about non-economic damages is that they are difficult to evaluate. There is no way to put a set value on something like the loss of an arm, the immense pain experienced as the result of severe burns or a family's loss of a loved one. There is truly no amount of money that could possibly make up for a loss or serious injury. Because there is no set formula to determine what amount of non-economic damages should be awarded in a San Diego injury claim, the jury will often have the ability to determine the amount as they see fit. Every case is different and must be presented to the jury in such a way so they will truly understand what the victim has gone through. They must feel compelled to award non-economic damages to the victim or the victim's family. In some cases, there will be limits to the amount of non-economic damages that may be awarded to a victim. In medical malpractice cases in California, for example, the limit is $250,000.

Contact a San Diego Injury Lawyer Today

An important part of the legal counsel that our firm provides to accident and injury victims in the San Diego area is the proper valuation of claims and the presentation of compelling cases to judges and juries alike. We are also skilled negotiators and often settle our cases out of court. We believe that seeking fair financial compensation is of the utmost importance in order to help a victim or the family of a victim rebuild their lives and move on toward better and brighter futures. Financial problems are the last thing anyone needs to worry about when already dealing with the trauma of an accident or injury.

Contact a San Diego personal injury attorney today to discuss the non-economic damages that may be sought in your injury claim.