After suffering an injury in an auto accident in Wisconsin, you may wonder what damages (compensation) you can seek through your personal injury lawsuit. In most cases, victims can pursue economic and non-economic damages. However, in rare cases, they may also be able to pursue punitive damages.
Economic Damages After a Car Accident
The first category of damages you can seek through a personal injury suit after a car crash is economic damages. This is compensation sought for your tangible losses with monetary value, including:
- Medical Expenses – Compensation for past and future surgeries, medical treatments, hospital stays, medical devices, prescription medications, and physical therapy.
- Lost Wages – Compensation for the income you lost while recovering from and receiving treatment for your injuries resulting from the car accident.
- Loss of Future Earning Potential – Compensation for the income you will lose due to your injury’s impact on your ability to work. This also includes benefits connected to your employment that you will lose, including retirement account contributions and health insurance.
Non-Economic Damages After an Auto Accident
The second category of damages you can seek after a car accident is non-economic damages. This is compensation sought for your intangible losses without direct monetary value. Examples of losses with subjective value you can seek non-economic damages for include:
- Pain and Suffering – Compensation for the physical pain and suffering you experience because of your injuries. The more severe your injuries are, the more pain and suffering compensation you may be able to receive.
- Emotional Distress – Compensation for the emotional distress you experience because of your injuries and the accident itself, such as if you developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life – Compensation for the impact your injury has on your ability to engage in activities you once enjoyed. An example might be a person who enjoyed hiking who is confined to a wheelchair because of their injuries.
- Scarring and Disfigurement – Compensation for scarring and disfigurement caused by your injuries, particularly to the head, face, and neck.
- Loss of Consortium – Compensation for your injury’s impact on your relationship with your spouse. Loss of consortium is a unique form of compensation sought by the victim’s spouse, not the victim themselves.
Punitive Damages After a Motor Vehicle Collision
In very rare cases, victims can seek punitive damages in addition to compensatory (economic and non-economic) damages when they take their case to court. Punitive damages punish the at-fault party for particularly egregious actions and are not intended as compensation for the victim’s losses.
Contact a Madison, Wisconsin, Car Accident Lawyer
If you suffered an injury in a car accident in Madison, Wisconsin, you could recover compensation for various losses through a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party. Contact Atterbury, Kammer & Haag to speak with one of our experienced car accident lawyers and to learn more about how our team can help you seek the compensation you need and deserve.