Boise Spinal Injury Lawyers

Economic Damages in Boise Spinal Injury Claims

Pursuing All the Compensation You Deserve

At the heart of any personal injury claim involving spinal injury is the issue of economic damages. These damages refer to the financial losses that a person has suffered due to their injury, including medical expenses, lost wages, and other related costs. Economic damages can be a significant issue in spinal injury claims, as these injuries often result in substantial medical bills and long-term disability.

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal injury in Boise, Idaho, it’s important to understand how economic damages are calculated in these types of cases. In this article, we will explore the various factors that can impact economic damages in spinal injury claims, as well as the process for calculating these damages in Boise. By the end of this article, you should have a better understanding of how economic damages are assessed and why they are such an important issue in spinal injury claims.

1. Medical Expenses in Spinal Injury Claims The cost of medical care is often the most significant economic damage in a spinal injury claim. This can include the costs of emergency treatment, surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, and ongoing medical care. These expenses can quickly add up, particularly in cases where the injury is severe and requires long-term care.
2. Lost Wages and Earning Capacity Another major factor in spinal injury claims is lost wages and earning capacity. This refers to the income that a person has lost as a result of their injury, as well as any future earning potential that has been impacted by their disability. This can include lost wages from time off work, as well as a reduced ability to work in the future.
3. Property Damage and Other Expenses In addition to medical expenses and lost wages, spinal injury claims can also involve other economic damages. This can include the cost of repairing or replacing damaged property, such as a vehicle that was involved in an accident. Other expenses can include the cost of hiring someone to help with daily tasks or the cost of modifying a home to accommodate a disability.
4. The Role of Insurance in Economic Damages In many spinal injury claims, insurance plays a significant role in determining economic damages. This can include the injured person’s own insurance, as well as the insurance of other parties involved in the accident. Insurance companies will often negotiate with the injured person’s attorney to determine a fair settlement for economic damages.
5. How Economic Damages are Calculated in Boise Spinal Injury Claims The process for calculating economic damages in Boise spinal injury claims can be complex. In general, attorneys will look at the various factors that impact economic damages, such as medical expenses and lost wages, and determine a total amount of economic damages that the injured person has suffered. This amount is then presented to the insurance company or the court in order to seek a fair settlement or judgment.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are payments intended to compensate the victim for monetary losses resulting from their injuries. An accomplished spinal injury lawyer will examine the facts of your case and determine the value of the economic damages you can claim.

Some of the most common examples of economic damages in spinal injury claims include:

• Current and anticipated future medical bills
• Property damage, such as vehicular damage from car accidents
• Lost income due to missed workdays
• Medical transportation costs
• Rental car expenses

Any consequence of your accident that results in monetary loss can be included in your calculation for economic damages. The skilled Eugene back injury lawyers at Strong Law have years of experience fighting for maximum economic damages in tort cases. We can help you to fight for a fair settlement.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages refer to losses that cannot be easily quantified or measured, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium. These damages can be challenging to prove and quantify, but they are often a significant component of a spinal injury claim. In this article, we’ll explore the various types of non-economic damages in Boise spinal injury claims and how they can impact a victim’s life.

There are several types of non-economic damages that may be awarded in Boise spinal injury claims, including:

• Pain and Suffering: This refers to the physical and emotional distress caused by the injury. It can include chronic pain, discomfort, and other symptoms that impact the victim’s daily life.
• Emotional Distress: A spinal injury can be a traumatic experience that causes emotional distress, such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life: A spinal injury can prevent a victim from enjoying activities they once loved. They may no longer be able to participate in hobbies, sports, or other recreational activities they once enjoyed.
• Loss of Consortium: This refers to the loss of companionship and affection caused by the injury. It can include the inability to engage in intimate relationships or the loss of a marital relationship.

Calculating non-economic damages is a complex process that takes into account several factors, such as the severity of the injury, the victim’s age, their occupation, and their overall quality of life before the injury. In some cases, expert testimony may be required to determine the extent of the victim’s losses and how they will impact their life in the long term.

Several factors can impact the amount of non-economic damages awarded in a spinal injury claim, including:

• Severity of the Injury: Generally, the more severe the injury, the higher the amount of non-economic damages awarded.
• Age of the Victim: Younger victims may receive higher non-economic damages as they have more years of life to live with the injury.
• Quality of Life Before the Injury: If the victim had a high quality of life before the injury, the non-economic damages awarded may be higher.
• Type of Injury: Certain types of spinal injuries, such as paralysis, may result in higher non-economic damages as they can have a significant impact on the victim’s life.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are a type of compensation awarded in civil cases to punish the defendant for their wrongful actions. Unlike compensatory damages, which are intended to compensate the plaintiff for their losses, punitive damages are intended to deter the defendant and others from engaging in similar behavior in the future.

In the context of spinal injuries, punitive damages may be awarded if the defendant’s actions were particularly egregious or reckless. For example, if a driver was texting while driving and caused a car accident that resulted in a spinal injury, a court may award punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages to punish the driver for their reckless behavior.

Punitive damages are not calculated based on the plaintiff’s actual losses, as compensatory damages are. Instead, they are based on the severity of the defendant’s misconduct and their ability to pay. The purpose of punitive damages is not to compensate the plaintiff, but to punish the defendant and deter similar behavior in the future.

In Idaho, there is no cap on punitive damages, meaning that the amount awarded can be significant. However, the plaintiff must provide clear and convincing evidence of the defendant’s misconduct to justify the award.