In a perfect world, lawsuits would only involve financial losses. The injured party would be able to calculate exactly how much money they lost, and the defendant would willingly pay them that amount.
Unfortunately, our legal system isn’t always so cut and dry. In many personal injury suits, non-financial losses can be just as important as financial losses.
But what are these losses, exactly? And how are they calculated? Let’s take a closer look.
What are Non-financial Losses, and What Do They Include?
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When harmed due to the negligence of another, they may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. In this lawsuit, the victim may seek reparation for financial and non-financial losses. Financial losses are relatively easy to quantify, including medical bills, lost wages, and property damage.
Calculating non-financial losses is more challenging. These include things like pain, suffering, and a decline in quality of life. Despite the fact that there is no standard method for determining non-financial losses, courts usually consider factors like the seriousness of the harm and how it affects the victim’s quality of life. Punitive losses may also be granted in particular circumstances to discipline the negligent party and prevent any future mishaps.
How Can You Prove that You have Suffered Non-financial Losses from an Accident or Injury?
When most people think of losses resulting from an accident or injury, they think of financial losses. These can be relatively easy to prove with receipts, invoices, and pay stubs.
Non-financial losses are difficult to quantify. While it may be harder to put a dollar value on these losses, that does not mean they are any less real or deserve reparation.
An experienced attorney can help you build a strong case for non-financial losses if you have been injured in an accident. This may include gathering testimony from friends and family members about how your injuries have impacted your life and expert medical testimony about the nature and severity of your injuries. By taking the time to build a strong case, you can help ensure that you receive the full reparation you deserve.
Types of Injuries for which You can Get Non-financial Reparation
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Non-financial damage is not applicable to everyone. Only certain types of injuries are eligible to apply for non-financial losses.
Physical Anguish and Distress
You will be compensated for the property losses and your medical bills. What about the pain that was caused by the accident? You can be compensated for that too, by filing it as non-financial damage.
You should be suffering from pain because of the negligence of someone else. So, you are within your rights to sue the negligent party for non-financial losses.
Mental Agony and Emotional Distress
An accident not only losses you physically but also affects you emotionally. An accident can traumatize a person. No amount of money can compensate for the emotional pain a person goes through because of an accident.
In situations like that, you can sue for non-financial losses. Talk with your lawyer about your mental health state. Be straightforward with your lawyer about it so a lawyer can help you to claim non-financial losses.
Loss of a Family Member
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What is worse than losing a loved one? Losing a loved one can immensely hurt a person emotionally. There is no remedy to losing a loved one. It is important for anyone who lost a loved one due to the negligence of someone else to bring the negligent person to justice.
More than money, it is essential to bring the wrongdoer to justice. For wrongful death cases, you can receive both non-financial damage and punitive damage. Punitive damage is to punish the negligent party and prevent them from committing future crimes.
Quality of Life
Some accidents might affect you for the long term and will affect your quality of life. For example, you might be paralyzed after an accident. A paralyzed person can’t enjoy life the same as a healthy person. So your quality of life will be forever affected. In addition, you will not be able to join any new job due to your health conditions.
That can be counted as lost wages. In situations like that, always sue for non-financial losses. Quality of life can be affected in many more ways. Paralysis is just an example. If you feel your quality of life is affected due to the negligence of someone else, consult a lawyer and sue for non-financial losses.
Who Can Seek Reparation for Non-financial Losses in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
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If you suffered an injury, you might have a chance to sue for both financial and non-financial losses. The financial losses you suffered can be compensated through financial losses.
It is difficult to quantify non-financial losses. The pain and suffering you went through and the loss of quality of life can be claimed as non-financial damage. Non-financial losses in personal injury lawsuits are limited in some states. Meaning you cannot sue for more than that limit.
What are Some Examples of Non-financial Losses Awarded in Past Cases?
Though financial losses like lost wages and medical bills are fairly straightforward to calculate, non-financial losses are more subjective. Pain and emotional distress are all examples of non-financial losses awarded in past cases.
In some instances, the court may also award punitive losses designed to punish the defendant for particularly egregious behavior. Because they can be difficult to quantify, non-financial losses are often the source of heated debate during settlement negotiations. With an experienced attorney, you can fight for the full and fair reparation they deserve.
If you’ve been injured and think you may be entitled to reparation for non-financial losses, click here to learn more and speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Remember, all personal injury cases have a statute of limitations. So, act quickly and sue the at-fault party. Consult with your lawyer to know what are all losses you can sue for. If applicable, sue for non-financial losses and punitive losses along with financial losses.
