What types of compensation are available to people who were injured in Spartanburg County?
Spartanburg County, SC – Civil lawsuits for injuries can provide compensation as a remedy to pay for various costs. South Carolina and other states each have laws about the specific types of compensation available and how victims will be paid. This generally includes different categories of damages, and there can be limits or caps on the total amount that will be paid out. Specific questions about the compensation tied to any lawsuit should be directed to an attorney with experience in this area.
Economic damages
Damages that are related to specific losses are always available in an injury case. The plaintiff will need to use evidence to show exactly what kind of losses are relevant to their situation. This can include things like medical bills, recovery costs for healthcare, lost income and wages, property repair costs, and future losses that may be tied to their ability to work as normal.
As a general rule, economic damages tend to grow much larger as the injuries get more severe. People who cannot work at all anymore and require constant medical attention will obviously need much more compensation to pay for these problems than those with minor or moderate injuries.
Non economic damages
South Carolina law defines these as non monetary damages that are related to physical pain, suffering, inconvenience, emotional pain, distress, and other forms of mental health problems and trauma. Even things like a damaged reputation and humiliation can be included in this category if they are relevant to the case.
In practice, lawyers tend to speak about many quality of life issues to prove non-economic damages. This may be a contrast of what the victim’s life looked like before versus after the accident. It may also include explaining how it will be difficult or impossible for the person to live and work as they used to before their injuries. Much of this argument will happen during settlement negotiations, or before the jury at the closing of a trial, although trials are less common than settlements.
Punitive damages
Although uncommon, it is possible that additional compensation is awarded against a defendant for certain types of reckless behavior. Punitive damages are meant as a form of punishment, and they do not necessarily reflect the person’s specific monetary losses. State law requires that there needs to be a separate argument in the plaintiff’s pleading that shows with evidence why the defendant was responsible for willful, wanton, or reckless conduct.
Assistance from an accident attorney
The Clekis Law Firm works with local clients in Spartanburg County and other parts of South Carolina after motor vehicle accidents. They can represent anyone who needs compensation for their injuries.
Firm contact info:
171 Church St., Charleston SC, 29401
843-900-0000
clekis.com
