What Are the Economic Damages in a Personal Injury Claim?
Economic damages represent the financial losses you suffered at the hands of someone else. Whether you suffered injuries from a car accident, workplace incident, slip and fall, medical malpractice, or defective product you can sue for damages if negligence was involved. The hard part is proving negligence. Proving damages for a Delaware personal injury claim is often less difficult with the right guidance. Talk to a Wilmington personal injury lawyer if you have any questions about how to do this.
ADDING UP YOUR ECONOMIC DAMAGES
Unlike other types of damages, personal injury economic damages are straightforward. Economic damages can be easily proven with objective pieces of concrete evidence like documents, receipts, and pictures. As the name suggests, these damages are purely monetary and represent any financial losses you suffered from your injury.
Other damages like non-economic damages and punitive damages are harder to prove because they do not involve concrete evidence. What they do require is witness testimonies to support your claims. Non-economic damages are subjective and psychological damages you suffered from the accident.
You can add up your economic damages by looking at all the financial losses you endured. Economic damages will vary depending on the type of accident and damages you suffered. Some examples of economic damages include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Damages to your property like your vehicle or phone
- Repair costs for damaged property
- Loss of your job
Some people can sue for future medical expenses when their injuries are severe enough. Those who suffered disabilities from the accident can sue for future lost wages when they can no longer work. The first step is contacting a Wilmington accident lawyer to figure out what realistic options you have.
HOW TO PROVE YOUR ECONOMIC DAMAGES
Proving economic damages is simply a matter of collecting documents and taking pictures. This will vary depending on the cause of your damages. To prove car accident damages, for example, you will need the other driver’s information, a police report copy, and pictures of damages to your vehicle.
For nearly all personal injury claims, you want pictures of your injuries and property damages. Write down what happened to keep the story consistent. Keep any receipts for expenses that came from the incident. Obtain copies of your medical records to prove your injuries and medical bills.
Consider writing down witness contact information for anyone who saw what happened. This could help your case if your claim is disputed and goes to trial. Talk with a lawyer about any other evidence you can collect that will strengthen your claim.
PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER IN DELAWARE
You may not have to settle for less when the initial compensation you were offered is too low to fully cover your damages. Feel free to ask a Delaware personal injury attorney for help with your claim. All you have to do is contact Edelstein Martin & Nelson by dialing (302) 295-5050 for a free consultation today. Our legal team might be able to help you obtain compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages. We serve clients in Wilmington, DE.
