Like many other states, in Georgia, an injured victim may receive compensation for the following damages:
- Economic Damages
Economic damages are those that can be easily quantifiable. These damages include:
- Loss of income,
- Medical expenses,
- Loss of earning potential,
- Property damage, and
- Other expenses incurred as a result of the accident.
To ensure full restitution is obtained for economic damages, it is important to safe keep receipts and invoices to prove the existence of these financial losses. Further, it is worth noting that future medical costs can also be incurred, particularly when the accident resulted in chronic pain or disability. Proficient legal support may be able to help determine the appropriate amount to demand from the at-fault party.
- Non-Economic Damages
Calculating these types of damages can be extremely challenging. For instance, it can be very difficult to attach a monetary figure to subjective concepts such as “the loss of quality of life”. Because of the intricacies involved in calculating non-economic damages, every case will be different, even when they appear to be similar. Every person has a personal concept of what a part of their life will be worth.
Some of the most commonly non-economic damages reported after a car accident include, but are not limited to:
- Anxiety,
- Stress,
- Loss of enjoyment,
- Pain and suffering, and
- Emotional distress.
- Punitive Damages
These types of damages are set to punish at-fault parties that caused the accident as a result of reckless or egregious conduct. In most cases, punitive damages are capped, unless the accident was caused as a result of a defective product or if the at-fault party acted intentionally or was intoxicated at the time of the accident.
Punitive damages are rare and are usually not meant to compensate the injured party for the injuries. Instead, these damages are set to penalize the at-fault party and deter others from committing similar actions.
