Middletown personal injury victims require various professionals after an accident. For example, they need doctors to treat their injuries. Similarly, these victims need Middletown personal injury attorneys. Excellent attorneys are the best means of getting damages for their accident losses because only a few laypeople understand the various types of damages.
Therefore, injury victims often don’t know what types of damages they deserve. Some don’t even know whether they’re eligible for injury compensation. Fortunately, you can avoid this confusion by hiring the best Middletown personal injury lawyers. It’s also crucial to hire attorneys at the early stages of your injury.
What Are Compensatory Damages?
Before understanding compensatory damages, it’ll help to grasp the meaning of damages properly. Damages are merely the money courts award to injury victims. This award is often for the defendant’s breach of some legal duty or right.
Now, compensatory damages are best understood literally. So, as the name implies, compensatory damages aim to compensate the victim for their losses or injury.
Here, the court tries to return them to their condition before the injury event. Punitive damages are the other type of damages available. Under this heading, the court punishes the defendant’s conduct.
Notably, Middletown plaintiffs must prove the defendant’s bad conduct. In addition, they must show that this lousy conduct caused their losses. If they can establish these facts, the courts will award them compensatory damages.
Types of Compensatory Damages
There are two major types of compensatory damages. They’re actual and general damages. Notably, plaintiffs can be eligible for both classes of damages. Furthermore, a plaintiff may only qualify for one type.
Actual Damages
Actual damages cover real and calculable losses the defendant sustained. This class of damages compensates the victim for specific and identifiable financial losses. Therefore, such a plaintiff would have to establish these losses in court. Examples of actual damages include:
- Hospital and medical bills
- Cost of medicine and prescription drugs
- Rehabilitation bills
- Therapy fees
- Ambulance expenses
- Nursing home bills
- Cost of domestic servants
- Lost wages
- Increased living expenses
- Cost of lost or damaged property
- Property repair bills
- Cost of transportation
- Attorney and other legal fees
You require significant evidence to claim actual damages. These would include hospital receipts, property repair receipts, and other forms of financial documentation.
General Damages
General damages aren’t as identifiable as actual damages. This is because they’re often non-economic damages. That is, they compensate the victim for intangible losses. Consequently, courts use several calculations to assign dollar amounts to general damages. Some of such injuries include:
- Mental anguish
- Pain and suffering
- Humiliation
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Lost opportunities
- Inconvenience
When Can I Get Compensatory Damages?
Courts can award compensatory damages in several personal injury lawsuits. Furthermore, you can get these damages from settlement negotiations. Here, you’d have to negotiate your compensation with insurance companies. Below are instances where you can get compensatory damages:
- Auto accident claims
- Product liability
- Medical malpractice
- Premises liability lawsuits
- Wrongful death cases
- Workplace accident claims
- Animal bite cases
- Birth and burn injury claims
How Long do I Have to File Middletown Compensation Claims?
Civil lawsuits often operate under strict legal provisions. For example, the law dictates explicitly when you must file your case. These laws are called Statutes of Limitations. Notably, limitation periods don’t apply to insurance claims. However, insurers may refuse to pay claims beyond the limitation period. This is because they know that you can’t resort to the courts.
Therefore, it’s best always to remember the Connecticut Statute of Limitations. You have only two years to claim compensatory damages. This statutory period applies to claims based on negligence. If you miss this deadline, the court may deny you damages. Therefore, it’ll be best to hire an attorney to start processing your compensation claim early.
Middletown Personal Injury Lawyers Can Get You Compensatory Damages
Have you survived a personal injury accident in Middletown? If you have, then you may be eligible for compensation. However, there are many available types of compensation.
So, you’ll need the best Middletown personal injury attorneys. First, an excellent attorney can evaluate your claim. Then, they can determine the suitable class of damages to pursue.
Fortunately, at Injured CT, we have the best lawyers for this job. Our attorneys have spent several years representing Middletown’s injury victims. In the process, we’ve won millions of dollars in settlements.
This is the experience and expertise we’ll bring to the table if you hire us. It’ll thus be best to call us today for a free consultation on your case.