In Cases Of Negligence, There Are Two Types Of Monetary Compensation
When people are the victims ofmedical negligence, they are entitled to financial payment, called “damages,” to help compensate them for their losses. The legal system recognizes two types of damages: economic and non-economic. In basic terms, this refers to repayment to the victims for the hard costs of expenses due to the negligent event (economic) and the compensation for things that are hard to put a price tag upon, such as pain and suffering (non-economic).
In cases of medical negligence, such as nursing home abuse or neglect, birth injuries, or other forms of medical malpractice, the amount of money that the law firm can recover in damages can be determined through negotiation, such asmediation,arbitrationorsettlement, or throughlitigation. The ultimate amount of the compensatory damages depends on the type of situation and the two ways it might impact the victim and/or their family: 1) economic damages and 2) non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are based on financial losses that can be calculated, such as existing hospital bills. However, depending on the nature of the injury, the victim might be at the just the beginning of many years of medical bills, injury-related expenses, and other financial losses. A skilled law firm will help the client by ensuring they receive economic restitution not just for their current medical bills, but also for their future expenses and economic losses. A skilled law firm will have alifecare planning expert, a professional who is respected by the legal system for their ability to accurately estimate the full picture of costs that an injured person will encounter.
Economic damages include, but are not limited to:
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are harder to quantify because they are based on things, such as trauma and psychological experiences, which cannot be calculated in dollars and cents. This is often referred to as pain and suffering, but it goes beyond that. Non-economic damages can mean emotional distress, a loss of enjoyment of life or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There can be permanent disfiguration that diminishes a person’s sense of self-worth, relationships, and joy. No amount of money can compensate the victims for these types of losses, but these damages can often be the largest part of the settlement. They also represent a strong deterrent to the negligent medical professionals, medical facilities, and nursing homes to encourage better care for future recipients
Sometimes, economic damages are awarded without non-economic damages, and in other situations, both kinds of compensatory damages are awarded to the victims.
Ensuring Quality of Life
The details of the individual case, along with the expertise of the law firm, will determine the value of damages received by the victim. If you or a loved one sustained catastrophic injuries or was killed, and you suspect it was caused by the negligence of medical professional, medical facility, or nursing home in the State of Maryland or Washington, D.C.,call(410) 547-0202orcontact Brown & Barron onlinetoday.