If you’re injured in an accident that was caused by another person’s negligence, you’re entitled to hire an attorney and file a personal injury claim. If your claim is successful, you’ll be awarded monetary damages to cover the financial losses the accident created for you. There are several different types of damages you can claim, three of which are outlined below.

3 Personal Injury Damages an Attorney Can Help You Recover

1.  Special Compensatory Damages

Special damages include compensation for very specific monetary losses you incurred because of your injuries. They almost always include medical expenses, from emergency room visits and hospital bills to long-term care and physical therapy.

Your attorney may also claim lost wages and loss of future earnings as special compensatory damages, as well as any other economic opportunity you may have missed while recovering from your injury.

2. General Compensatory Damages

General damages are designed to compensate you for losses that don’t have a specific monetary value. It includes items like pain and suffering for the physical and emotional trauma you experienced, as well as mental anguish and loss of consortium (damages to your family and romantic relationships as a result of your injuries).

3. Punitive Damages

Alabama law allows accident victims to claim punitive damages, though they are more difficult to prove and typically only awarded in cases where a defendant willfully committed an act knowing it could harm others.

These damages are intended to serve as punishment for the defendant, on top of whatever special or general compensatory damages they are ordered to pay. Most states put a cap on the amount of money that can be awarded for punitive damages—in Alabama, they may not exceed three times the amount of the total compensatory damages.

If you’ve been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, get in touch with Stephen G. McGowan LLC. Based in Dothan, AL, this personal injury attorney and his team have experience with a wide range of claims, including car accidents, workplace injuries, wrongful death, and more.  For more information, visit the firm’s website or call (334) 699-6688 to schedule a consultation.