- Compensatory damages are awarded to restore your financial and emotional losses after an accident.
- The two types of compensatory damages are economic and non-economic damages.
- Economic damages are compensation for quantifiable financial losses, and non-economic damages are compensation for intangible losses.
- Our compassionate, experienced lawyers are ready to fight for the compensation you deserve.
Compensatory damages are money you can receive in a personal injury lawsuit to restore you to the position you were in before you were injured. This is legally known as “making you whole.” The idea is that the parties responsible for your injuries are the ones who should pay the costs associated with your injuries, not you.
It is also possible to recover non-compensatory damages in a lawsuit. For example, punitive damages are awarded to punish the defendant and deter others from similar misconduct, not to compensate the victim. These damages are not available in all cases.
Our experienced New York personal injury lawyers are real New Yorkers dedicated to fighting for every penny you deserve, and we refuse to back down against even the most combative defendants. We are a leading personal injury law firm in New York with a proven history of securing life-changing case results for our clients.
What Are Examples of Compensatory Damages?
| Economic Damages | Non-Economic Damages |
| Medical expenses | Pain and suffering |
| Physical therapy | Emotional distress |
| Current and future medical expenses | Loss of enjoyment of life |
| The cost of attendant care | Loss of bodily functions |
| Transportation to the doctor | Scarring and disfigurement |
| The cost of domestic services you can no longer provide yourself, such as childcare | Loss of society |
| Missed days at work | Loss of consortium |
| Lost future earnings and work benefits | Humiliation |
| Property damage | Inconvenience |
How Are Compensatory Damages Calculated?
Calculations for economic and non-economic damages work differently. To calculate non-economic damages, your attorney might first calculate your economic damages.
Calculating Economic Damages
| Economic Loss | Documentation You May Need |
| Current medical expenses | Medical bills and receipts |
| Future medical expenses |
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| Missed days at work |
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| Future lost earnings |
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| Property damage |
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Calculating Non-Economic Damages
When calculating non-economic damages, your attorney will consider the severity of your injuries and how they affect your present and future quality of life. Long-term pain and suffering generally have a higher value.
One of the common methods attorneys use to calculate non-economic damages is the multiplier method. Your attorney assigns a value, usually between 1.5 and 5, based on the short-term and long-term impacts of your injuries. The more severe your suffering, the higher the number. Your attorney will multiply this number by your total economic damages.
For example, if your economic damages total $100,000, and the multiplier is 3, your attorney will use the following formula to calculate your non-economic damages:
$100,000 X 3 = $300,000
In this case, your total damages would be $400,000:
Economic damages: $100,000
Non-economic damages: $300,000
Total: $400,000
Insurance companies often attempt to minimize the impact of injuries and use the lowest multiplier. Our award-winning New York personal injury attorneys won’t accept less than you deserve. We power through the nonsense to secure the full and fair compensation you are entitled to under the law.
Getting Paid if You’ve Been Injured
If you or your loved one has been injured in an accident in New York, the first step you need to take is to contact our knowledgeable New York personal injury lawyers. We will aggressively pursue compensation for the full value of your damages while you focus on recovering from your injuries. Among other things, we will:
- Investigate the accident to identify all of the liable parties.
- File your insurance claims, including your no-fault insurance claim, if you were in a car accident.
- Review your medical records and communicate with your doctors to assess the economic and non-economic value of your injuries and losses.
- Interview you and your significant others to fully understand the anguish and suffering the accident has caused.
- Calculate your damages and send demand letters to the responsible parties.
- File a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit if the liable parties and insurers refuse to pay full compensation.
- Negotiate a settlement and refuse to accept less than full and fair compensation.
- Take your case to court and present a strong argument to the jury if a fair out-of-court settlement cannot be secured.
Our experienced personal injury lawyers understand how devastating it is to suffer an injury or suddenly become disabled because of someone else’s carelessness. We will account for every penny when calculating your damages and fight for you.
Reach Out to Our Legal Team if You’re Seeking Compensatory Damages
We are creating a new perception of legal dominance. We take a no-nonsense approach to personal injury cases and are committed to getting you full and fair compensation. We have won hundreds of millions in verdicts and settlements for our clients, and we are ready to fight just as hard for you.
Our compassionate team of New York personal injury lawyers is ready to take on your case and fight for the compensation you deserve. We charge no upfront fees, and you pay nothing unless we win.
Contact us online or call (855) NYC-HURT to schedule a free consultation. We are here to answer your questions. Para servir mejor a todos los miembros de nuestra comunidad, ofrecemos servicios en español.
