When you are injured in an accident, it can change your life in a variety of ways and cause significant types of loss. If the injury was the fault of another, you may be able to file a lawsuit and sue for damages. However, since there are different types of personal injury damage types, you may want to be aware of what they are before you move ahead with your case.
1. Monetary
The loss of wages and other money can be one of the most common types of damage in a personal injury case. This can include any future earnings you might have been able to earn if not for a permanent injury, such as spinal cord or brain trauma. You may want to seek this type of compensation if you were the principal breadwinner for your family.
2. Medical
Depending on the severity of your injury, you may require long-term medical care, such as physical therapy and rehabilitation. You can sue for the cost of these services, as well as any medical bills you incurred as a result of the accident. These can include costs that stem from emergency surgery, ambulance rides and any medication you received when you arrived at the hospital.
3. Psychological
Serious accidents can cause more than physical trauma. In many cases, they can cause mental scars as well, especially when your memory of receiving the injury is vivid. For example, if you were jogging and struck head-on by a drunk driver who veered onto the sidewalk, you may remember the moment of impact. This can cause post-traumatic stress syndrome, anxiety, sleeplessness and depression. Depending on where you file your lawsuit, these damages may fall under the category of pain and suffering instead of standing on their own as emotional distress.
4. Punitive
You may be able to sue for punitive damages if the party that injured you did so purposely or was so careless that the action is punishable by the courts. Drunk drivers are often sued for these types of damages, especially if people are permanently disabled or killed in accidents caused because of their reckless behavior. Some states put a cap on punitive damage amounts, so you may want to ask your attorney about limitations and whether you can seek a punitive award.
There are many different types of damages you might seek in a personal injury case, from monetary to emotional to physical. Contact a lawyer, like a personal injury lawyer in Memphis, TN from Patterson Bray, today for more information and to schedule an initial consultation.