After they’ve been injured in an accident caused by someone else, people can seek money to cover their economic and non-economic losses through personal injury cases. Understanding the differences between these types of losses and the damages that Missouri courts award to cover those losses is important if you have a case. Knowing how these damages work can prepare you for pursuing the money you deserve after an accident caused by another party’s carelessness or misconduct.
What Are Non-Economic Damages?
In personal injury cases, you can generally seek two forms of compensation for your injuries: economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover an accident victim’s tangible or measurable losses, such as medical expenses, property damage, and lost wages. Calculating the value of these damages is straightforward, with proper documentation like pay stubs, medical bills, and repair receipts.
Non-economic damages are compensation a person can recover for subjective or quality-of-life losses that result from injuries related to an accident. Non-economic damages cover losses such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, disability, or loss of consortium. Unlike economic damages, non-economic damages are more challenging to calculate. An experienced lawyer will know how to assess the value of their client’s pain and suffering, whether the accident caused a life-changing traumatic brain injury, paralysis, or post-traumatic stress disorder. If the case goes to court, a judge or jury will consider the severity of the injury and the physical and emotional impact that the injury has on a person’s overall quality of life.
Understanding Missouri Laws on Non-Economic Damages
Most jurisdictions across the United States have no limit on how much money a person can recover for economic damages. However, many states limit, or cap, how much money a person can recover for non-economic damages. Missouri law caps non-economic damages on medical malpractice cases, according to a yearly table. The cap varies depending on whether a person’s injuries can be considered catastrophic.
The state does not cap non-economic damages for other personal injury cases, such as motor vehicle accidents or premises liability cases. The value a judge or jury assigns to non-economic damages is the amount the accident victims recover for their non-economic losses unless the individual bears partial responsibility for causing the accident.
Missouri follows a pure comparative fault system for civil cases. Pure comparative fault means that the compensation a person can recover for their injuries diminishes by the same percentage as their fault for contributing to the accident. Under this system, even those primarily responsible for an accident can recover some compensation for their injuries.
An Accident Injury Lawyer Can Help You Pursue Fair Compensation
It can be challenging to recover fair compensation for non-economic losses in Missouri because calculating these losses is complicated. At The Hayden Law Firm, St. Louis Accident & Injury Lawyers, our legal team will review your situation carefully and fight to secure maximum compensation for your injuries.
Contact our office today to discuss your case with an experienced personal injury attorney for free. We know there is a lot at stake for you, and we will aggressively pursue the compensation you deserve.
