{"id":352947,"date":"2016-04-04T10:46:31","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:46:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/injury-damages.html"},"modified":"2025-10-16T09:41:43","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T14:41:43","slug":"injury-damages","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/injury-damages.html","title":{"rendered":"Damages in Personal Injury Lawsuits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Damages in Personal Injury Lawsuits<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Ty McDuffey, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Katrina Wilson, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

A personal injury claim allows you to seek compensation for an injury that was someone else’s fault. This compensation is based on the specific damages of your case, which are the losses suffered by the injured party.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Damages usually include medical expenses to treat injuries. Damages also include the cost to replace or fix the damaged property. Yet, damages can include more than just money directly used to address injuries.<\/p>\n

This article describes how compensation generally works in personal injury cases. Calculating damages depends on the unique factors in each case. If someone injured you, speak with a local personal injury lawyer<\/a> to better understand the value of your potential claim.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Below, learn about damages in personal injury law (also known as tort law). This includes details about damages caps<\/a>, a plaintiff’s duty to mitigate damages, and the types of damages you might claim in a lawsuit.<\/p>\n

What Are Damages?<\/h2>\n

In a personal injury claim, “damages” are the losses or harms that justify a monetary award of compensation. There are many types of damages because an injury can affect a person’s life in many different ways. When you sue, you seek money to help reimburse your losses as fully as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For example, if the injuries caused a person to miss work, damages can include medical bills and\u00a0lost wages<\/a>. There’s even a chance that you can recover for lost future wages. These are known as losses of earning capacity. There’s a chance you can recover such damages if your injuries prevent you from working in the future.<\/p>\n

Courts may award\u00a0punitive damages<\/a>, which can include extra costs, to punish the negligent party for the damage they have caused. Additionally, compensatory damages<\/a> may be awarded to make up for pain and suffering.<\/p>\n

If a\u00a0wrongful death<\/a>\u00a0occurred, your personal injury attorney can also ask for funeral costs and compensation for emotional distress for the family.<\/p>\n

Types of Personal Injury Claims<\/h2>\n

There are many types of personal injury claims, including:<\/p>\n