Recoverable Damages in South Florida Personal Injury Suits
When an accident leads to a personal injury, you may face many losses, like loss of mobility, potential wages, and quality of life. If you’ve been in an accident and suffered these losses, a Florida personal injury lawyer can help you fight to seek damages.
But what damages could you be entitled to, and how much can you expect to recover through a personal injury lawsuit?
What Types of Damages Are Available in a South Florida Personal Injury Lawsuit?
You have several types of damages available to pursue in a Florida personal injury lawsuit. Whether you’ve been in a car accident or slipped and fell on someone’s property, personal injury lawyers can help you determine what damages you can pursue from these four types:
- Economic damages
- Non-economic damages
- Punitive damages
- Consortium damages
Economic Damages in South Florida
Economic damages are compensatory damages, which compensate you for financial losses directly related to your injury. These losses are calculable and verifiable.
Examples of economic damages include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Assistive services
- Property damage
A Florida personal injury lawyer may help you calculate this cost, then name the amount in your claim. If your claim is successful, you could recover the full amount.
Non-Economic Damages in South Florida
Non-economic damages are less tangible than the costs mentioned above but still related to your injury. For example, the court accounts for pain and suffering, which doesn’t come with a calculable cost.
Other non-economic damages include:
- Emotional distress
- Physical impairment
- Scarring
- Disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment
To calculate these damages, your personal injury lawyer will likely use a formula to estimate the injury’s impact on your life.
Punitive Damages in South Florida
Punitive damages punish the guilty party. If someone’s deliberate actions or gross negligence caused your injury, you may seek punitive damages.
The court calculates these damages based on the extent of your injuries and the extent of the guilty party’s involvement. Typically, courts reserve punitive damages for violent attacks, drunk driving accidents, and similar scenarios.
Consortium Damages in South Florida
The final type of damages compensates those impacted by your injury: spouses, family members, and children.
You’re not the only one who suffers from your accident. Your loved ones do, too. Consortium damages compensate for the loss of attention, love, comfort, and quality of life.
How Much Compensation Can I Seek in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
There is no standard compensation amount that all victims seek in personal injury cases. The types of compensation depend on the types of personal injury cases, as well as the severity of the injury, issues of liability, insurance policies, and the extent of your losses.
Some types of damages have limits to how much you can collect. These damage caps are meant to avoid fraudulent or frivolous claims.
While there is no limit for economic and non-economic damages, the state of Florida restricts punitive damages to $500,000, or three times the amount of compensatory damages.
A personal injury law firm can help you determine exactly how much compensation your case might be eligible for.
Seeking Damages in a Personal Injury Case? Contact a South Florida Attorney Today
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury and want to file a personal injury lawsuit, you don’t need to do it alone. With the help of an experienced South Florida personal injury lawyer, you can ensure your strategy and claim are strong to seek all the damages available to you.
Marc Lyons and Philip Snyder have been litigating personal injury cases since 2008, securing compensations for clients in cases ranging from wrongful death suits to truck accident claims.
If you need guidance in a personal injury case, contact Lyons & Snyder at 954-462-8035 to schedule a free consultation.
