Personal injury damages are separated into four categories: economic damages, non-economic damages, permanent impairment and disfigurement, and exemplary damages. Read on to learn more.

Economic Damages

This is the easiest form of damages to calculate. It includes medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and other losses that can be priced easily. In Colorado, your economic damages are calculated based on the amount you were billed for services regardless of any payments made by health insurance etc. That’s because if anyone should get the benefit of your insurance contract, it should be you, not the person who injured you. This can also include future costs that you will incur because of your injuries. For example, if you need medical care in the future, you can recover the expected cost of that.

Non-Economic Damages

This is harder to calculate. It includes things like pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress. The basic idea is that you should be able to recover the amount of money it you take to compensate you for all you’ve been through. A good personal injury lawyer trusts will be able to help you calculate your losses. Of course, no one would voluntarily accept money in exchange for being injured, so this is always and approximation. But just because it’s hard to calculate, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.

Permanent Impairment and Disfigurement

This category of damages is meant to compensate you for the impact a permanent injury or scar can have on your life. If you are entitled to it, it is usually priced based on your life expectancy. Again, this is difficult to calculate because no one would take money in exchange for a permanent injury, but it is what the law says you’re entitled to.

Exemplary Damages

This is a whole different category of damages. It isn’t designed to compensate the injured party. Instead, it is designed to punish the person who injured you. There are complicated procedural requirements for punitive damages, and there are also caps on this category of damages. If you have questions, contact a local personal injury lawyer.
So there you go, that’s the inside look at personal injury damages. If you have questions, contact me at the link below.