There are different kinds of compensation that can be received in a personal injury, or tort, lawsuit. There are economic compensations and noneconomic compensations. Economic compensations are rewarded to the injured party to cover the costs of any damages that have come up as a result of the accident. This could be compensation for a wrecked vehicle and/or compensation for medical bills. Anything with a fixed amount is considered an economic compensation.
Many times no one has an issue with people receiving economic compensation but when it comes to noneconomic compensation the general perception is that it is undeserved and people are just money hungry. Noneconomic compensation, normally called punitive or exemplary damages, serve two purposes; to help victims with the new limitations and loss of quality of life they now face and to punish the negligent doer.
A lot of people don’t realize how an injury could affect someone’s life. Take for example, someone loses three of their fingers due to a defective electric drill. This person was a surgeon prior to the accident but now, due to the injury caused by this defective device, can no longer do the job that required thousands of dollars and many years to learn to do. This person’s entire life has now changed. This person will suffer lifelong pain and suffering due to this injury and will have to search extensively for a new job where this injury will not prevent them from completing the duties required. This new job will probably not have the same pay rate and the person will then have trouble paying all the bills left from the lifestyle he or she had before the accident.
There is no amount of money that can give someone their quality of life back and there is no amount of money that can give someone their passion in life back. Many times in personal injury cases both of these are lost and the general public and the media don’t realize this, or at least aren’t sympathetic to it. Personal injury victims are often made to feel guilty about bringing a lawsuit against a negligent doer, and that’s wrong. Your life has been changed, you will suffer with this injury, physically and/or mentally, for the rest of your life; someone needs to be held responsible for that and it’s not only OK, but it’s also a normal human reaction to feel this way and to want to do something about it.
Don’t let myths about injury lawsuits intimidate or scare you from seeking justice. If you’ve been injured due to the purposeful or negligent act of another you could receive compensation for your injuries. The attorneys atThe Pisanchyn Law Firm, who are skilled in the area of personal injury, are here to help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
