In New Jersey, there are two types of damages commonly available to victims: economic and non-economic. While some may be familiar with the former, the latter, non-economic damages may be unknown to many New Jersey victims.
Non-economic damages seek to compensate a victim for the emotional impact a negligent party’s actions have had on their life. For example, pain and suffering and reduced quality of life can be compensated for via non-economic damages. Because these are not concrete things and instead are emotional losses, calculating non-economic damages can be challenging. An experienced attorney can estimate an appropriate settlement amount that includes both economic and non-economic damages. These damages are by no means guaranteed in a New Jersey lawsuit, which is why hiring a skilled lawyer is important.
Our attorneys are here to help New Jersey victims recover the damages they deserve. For a free case evaluation with the New Jersey personal injury lawyers at Legal Care, call today at (732) 838-9769.
What Are Non-Economic Damages in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, victims often require substantial damages to compensate them for a negligent party’s actions. Instead of compensating victims for the financial impact of an at-fault party’s actions, non-economic damages focus on emotional turmoil in the aftermath of an accident.
In New Jersey, non-economic damages seek to compensate victims for the impact a negligent party has had on their lives in non-financial ways. These damages refer to all the emotional effects of an accident. For example, non-economic damages can compensate victims for pain and suffering and reduced quality of life. Victims who experience depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder due to a negligent party’s actions may be able to recover non-economic damages in New Jersey.
Non-economic damages do not compensate victims for any expenses related to an accident. Any medical or other expenses, like therapy, a victim incurs because of a negligent party’s actions will be addressed with economic damages.
Understanding non-economic damages can be complicated, especially since they are largely subjective. If you’re still unclear about non-economic damages, speak to a Newark personal injury lawyer. Before you enter into litigation, it’s important to understand all possible damages available to you.
How Do You Calculate Non-Economic Damages in a New Jersey Lawsuit?
Calculating non-economic damages is no easy task. Because these damages do not reflect clear financial losses, it can be difficult for New Jersey victims to assess their potential non-economic damages independently. That is why hiring an experienced Edison personal injury lawyer is important to better calculate the non-economic damages you deserve.
Unlike economic damages, you can’t calculate non-economic damages by referencing medical bills and lost wages. Instead, you have to evaluate the total emotional impact of an accident’s events, which can be extremely difficult. Overestimate, and a victim may be disappointed. Underestimate, and you can find yourself in a similar situation. Generally, it takes an experienced lawyer to properly calculate non-economic damages in a New Jersey lawsuit.
To do so, your attorney will assess how a negligent party’s actions have impacted you emotionally. Your lawyer may ask you to keep a journal detailing your feelings after an accident. Your attorney may also advise that you seek help from a therapist or counselor to document any pain and suffering you have endured. Medical records can help prove certain mental difficulties caused by a negligent party’s actions, thus helping your attorney calculate non-economic damages.
Attempting to compensate New Jersey victims for emotional damages is undoubtedly challenging. And yet, victims often rely on non-economic damages to help them heal after an accident. Because of this, it is important that victims hire an experienced attorney to properly calculate the non-economic damages they deserve against a negligent party.
Can All New Jersey Victims Recover Non-Economic Damages?
Like all types of damages, non-economic damages are never guaranteed in a New Jersey lawsuit. To improve your chances of recovering non-economic damages and learn whether or not such compensation is available to you, turn to an experienced attorney.
When you file a lawsuit against a negligent party in New Jersey, it’s important to understand that you are not promised non-economic damages. Even if your claim is successful and you recover economic damages, there is no guarantee that you will also recover non-economic damages. In fact, proving the need for non-economic damages can be challenging and often requires the experience of a skilled New Jersey personal injury lawyer.
Some New Jersey lawsuits do not allow for non-economic damages, like wrongful death claims. If you are found to be partially at fault for your injuries, New Jersey’s comparative fault laws may apply, impacting your access to both economic and non-economic damages. It’s important to understand whether or not non-economic damages are available for your specific claim so that you know what to expect when entering litigation.
Generally speaking, victims are more likely to recover substantial non-economic damages when they go to trial instead of settling a lawsuit out of court. That doesn’t mean that non-economic damages are not part of New Jersey settlements, just that a defendant may be less willing to settle for the non-economic damages you deserve.
Recovering non-economic damages is generally possible unless your specific claim type prohibits it. To recover the compensation that you deserve against a negligent party, seek help from an attorney. A skilled Lakewood personal lawyer will have the experience necessary to recover sufficient non-economic damages on your behalf.
Our New Jersey Lawyers Can Help You Recover Non-Economic Damages
If you require non-economic damages from a negligent party, our attorneys can help. For a free case evaluation with the Paterson personal injury lawyers at Legal Care, call today at (732) 838-9769.
