After a car accident, slip-and-fall injury, or other mishap due to the fault of someone else, you may be left wondering about what compensation to which you are entitled. In a settlement or lawsuit for a personal injury case in Fort Lauderdale, there are three main types of damages you may be awarded.
The Three Types of Damages You May Receive in a Personal Injury Case in Fort Lauderdale Include Compensatory, Nominal, and Punitive
If you suffered a personal injury due to someone else’s negligence, you will be awarded compensatory damages or nominal damages, though not necessarily punitive damages.
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Compensatory Damages
Compensatory damages include both economic and non-economic damages and is the compensation you receive for your injuries.
Economic damages is concrete monetary recompense that can be easily calculated. This includes medical bills (both past and future), lost wages, and future lost earnings capacity. Economic damages are awarded to make the injured party financially whole as if the accident hadn’t happened.
Non-economic damages are more abstract and include compensation for things such as emotional anguish, pain and suffering, worsening of prior injuries, loss of consortium, and loss of quality of life, among other issues that are more subjective. These can be assigned a monetary value, though the victim doesn’t necessarily incur a financial loss from them.
The state of Florida does not place a cap on total compensatory damages, however non-economic damages from medical negligence or other types of personal injury causes may be capped. The burden is on you as the injured party, or plaintiff, to prove you deserve the amount requested for monetary losses.
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Nominal Damages
Even if you didn’t suffer financial loss from your personal injury or even a physical injury at all but have been victimized, you may be awarded nominal damages. As the name implies, the compensation is minimal. Nominal damages are awarded when you as the plaintiff are legally right but can’t or don’t establish the need for compensation.
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Punitive Damages
Punitive damages may be awarded in order to make an example of the at-fault party, or defendant. It is a punishment to help prevent the same recklessness by others, and in Florida, it may be awarded at up to three times the amount of compensatory damages. However, Florida law states that there must be reasonable evidence for gross negligence or intentional misconduct by the defendant.
For More Information on Compensation After a Personal Injury, Book a Free Consultation at Steinberg Law
Have you suffered a personal injury due to another party’s negligence? Don’t guess what type of damages you’ll receive, and don’t accept a settlement offer when a consultation with a personal injury lawyer to determine how much your case is worth is free! Call us today at 1-877-STEIN11 to put Steinberg Law attorneys on your case for maximum compensation!
