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3 Types of Damages Available in Personal Injury Lawsuits


— May 25, 2022

Any kind of accident will cause very specific financial losses such as those related to property damage, medical treatment, and lost wages.


Glen Burnie, MD – The main reason a personal injury case is brought by an accident victim is to receive compensation for their problems caused by the person or business responsible. These compensation amounts are governed by the law of damages in Maryland. Injury lawyers can work for their clients to receive three different types of compensation, which include economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.

Attorneys near me can give additional advice about any matters related to personal injury lawsuits and the value of any specific case in Maryland.

Non-economic damages

Maryland law for non-economic damages is meant to compensate a victim for pain, suffering, and other intangible losses caused by the crash. The jury instructions compel the members of the jury to assign a value to the differences caused in the person’s life by the accident when compared to their life before they were harmed. In most cases, things like a disability, permanent injury, or effects on the person’s ability to work and live a normal life will have the most value in terms of pain and suffering.

Economic damages

Any kind of accident will cause very specific financial losses such as those related to property damage, medical treatment, and lost wages. A Glen Burnie injury lawyer works with clients to provide assistance during this process of proving damages and working through the related lawsuit. The plaintiff will receive larger amounts if their records and documents show significant costs due to healthcare, repair estimates, income issues, or other problems directly caused by the defendant’s negligence.

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Punitive damages

Punitive damages are a special kind of compensation meant to punish the defendant for bad behavior, and they are not available in all cases. Courts in Maryland have stated that there must be a showing of actual malice by the defendant, which includes a deliberate harmful act or intent to cause injury. This is a different standard from negligence used for most personal injury cases. More specific advice from a Glen Burnie injury lawyer is recommended to determine if punitive damages will be relevant to the injury case. It is also possible that the victim can receive significant amounts from a defendant, even when punitive damages are not available.  

More information about personal injury lawsuits

Murnane and O’Neill is an experienced personal injury firm that works with clients in the Glen Burnie area. They can provide advice about the process to file a civil case for compensation and settlement negotiations.

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