What damages can you seek in a Texas personal injury lawsuit?
Personal injury claims develop from many different circumstances. Some of them are the result of car crashes caused by irresponsible people who are drunk or distracted at the wheel. Others stem from the improper maintenance of a business or building that results in an injury to a visitor.
When the actions or inaction of one person or company affects the life of someone else, the victim or their surviving family members typically have the right to bring a personal injury lawsuit in civil court. What kinds of compensation can people seek in a personal injury lawsuit?
Economic damages are often sought in civil suits
Texas allows personal injury claims for verifiable economic losses. Economic losses involve the direct financial impact of a crash on the life of a victim. These losses include lost wages and benefits, medical expenses for care and treatments, funeral costs when someone dies and property damage.
People can seek both their current and future medical costs and lost wages in a civil suit. For those whose injury will end their career but not their ability to work, they may be able to seek compensation for the impact of the injury they suffered on their earning potential.
There are often liability insurance policies that cover at least some of the economic damages someone might suffer on another person\’s property or in a car crash, but when you consider a lifetime of lost wages, it\’s not hard to imagine how those losses could exceed the benefits offered through an insurance policy.
People can also seek non-economic damages for the personal impact of an injury
Non-economic damages don\’t have a direct financial value, but that does not make them any less valid. Those hurt by another party in Texas have the right to seek pain and suffering compensation, which involves a financial award for their difficult experience because of someone else\’s behavior.
You can also include the impact of the injury on family members, such as lost wages because they have to stay home to care for you or loss of support and services because you can no longer fulfill the same role in the family you once did.
Trying to put a value on your experience and the impact of an injury on your life and life of your family members often requires guidance from someone more experienced with this process. You will also need help navigating the civil courts and negotiating with insurance companies, as small mistakes in language or timing delays could impact your right to compensation.