If you are in a motor vehicle accident, there is a possibility of you experiencing some sort of negative consequence(s) for which you want to be compensated. In insurance law, this compensation is called damages, and they’re a key part of any claim that you might make to your insurance or any case that you might take to court. In this article, we’ll help you understand what damages are and what different types of them you might be able to claim.

Key Takeaways

• “Damages” is a term that means the monetary compensation victims can receive
• If you are in a motor vehicle accident, you can make a claim for damages from your car insurance
• There are two types of damages: economic and non-economic
• Economic damages are tangible and measurable such as medical expenses, lost wages, and property repairs
• Non-economic damages are non-monetary losses such as pain, suffering, and wrongful death

What Are Damages?

The term “damages” refers to the monetary compensation that victims can receive as compensation for loss or injury. If you are in a motor vehicle accident and have to repair your car and/or pay for medical bills as a result, for example, you may be entitled to be compensated for these costs by your insurance. This money is called damages.

There are two types of damages: economic and non-economic. Economic damages are compensation for measurable losses such as repair costs to a vehicle and lost earnings. Non-economic damages refer to the subjective, non-monetary losses that might come as a result of a motor vehicle accident such as physical pain and emotional suffering. 

As you can imagine, non-economic damages are more difficult to assign an exact sum to, which means that there is much more room for a good lawyer to help a car accident victim receive the best possible payout. In contrast, if a victim has a poor lawyer or no lawyer, they might miss out on possible non-monetary losses compensation that they are entitled to. 

Types of Damages You Can Claim After a Motor Vehicle Accident

There are a number of different types of damages that you might experience and/or claim after getting into a motor vehicle accident. Here are a few examples.

Economic Damages

Some types of economic damages that can be the result of a motor vehicle accident include:

• Medical expenses, including therapy, ambulance fees, doctors appointments, medical accessories, and in-home services
• Lost wages or earning capacity
• Loss of irreplaceable items
• Replacement and repair of damaged property

Non-Economic Damages

Different types of possible non-economic damages include:

• Medical issues, such as disfigurement or permanent disability
• Pain and suffering, including mental anguish, lowered quality of life, and physical pain
• Loss of affection or companionship, meaning the loss of a loved one 
• Wrongful death

In any particular motor vehicle accident case, you make a claim of both economic and non-economic damages. In order to receive the best possible payout, it’s recommended to hire a car accident lawyer to represent you.