The Two Types of Damages: Economic vs. Non-Economic Compensation Explained
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Florida or Texas, you deserve compensation for your losses. But did you know there are two different types of damages you can recover? Understanding the difference between economic and non-economic damages can help you get the full compensation you deserve.
What Are Economic Damages?
Economic damages are the losses you can measure in dollars. Think of them as anything you can prove with a receipt, bill, or bank statement.
Medical Bills
This is often the largest part of your claim and includes:
- Emergency room visits
- Hospital stays
- Surgery costs
- Doctor appointments
- Prescription medications
- Physical therapy
- Future medical treatment
Pro tip: Save every medical bill and receipt related to your injury.
Lost Wages
When you can’t work because of your injury, you lose income. You can recover compensation for:
- Days missed from work
- Lost overtime or bonuses
- Reduced earning ability if you can’t do your old job anymore
- Lost business income if you’re self-employed
Your employer can provide documentation showing your missed work and lost pay.
Property Damage
If your car, phone, clothing, or other belongings were damaged in the accident, repair or replacement costs count as economic damages.
How to Calculate Special Damages
“Special damages” is just another term for economic damages. To calculate them:
- Add up all your medical bills
- Calculate lost income from pay stubs
- Include property repair costs
- Add projected future medical expenses
For future costs, you may need medical experts to estimate ongoing treatment needs.
What Are Non-Economic Damages?
Non-economic damages compensate you for losses that don’t come with price tags. These are the ways your injury has affected your life beyond your bank account.
What is Pain and Suffering Compensation?
Pain and suffering covers the physical discomfort you’ve experienced, including:
- Pain from the injury itself
- Chronic pain that won’t go away
- Physical limitations
- Discomfort during treatment
You can’t show a receipt for pain, but medical records and pain medication prescriptions help prove your suffering.
Emotional Distress
Injuries affect your mental health too. Emotional distress compensation covers:
- Anxiety and depression
- PTSD from the accident
- Fear and stress
- Sleep problems
- Embarrassment from scars or disabilities
Therapy records and testimony from mental health professionals support these claims.
Loss of Enjoyment
If your injury stops you from enjoying life the way you used to, you can recover damages for:
- Hobbies you can no longer do
- Missing out on family activities
- Not being able to play sports
- Loss of independence
Loss of Companionship
Serious injuries can damage your relationship with your spouse. Loss of consortium damages compensate for the loss of companionship and intimacy.
The key difference? Economic damages cover actual costs like medical bills and lost wages, making them easy to calculate. Non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, are subjective and harder to value.
Damage Caps in Florida and Texas
Florida: No caps on non-economic damages for most personal injury cases; only medical malpractice cases have limits.
Texas: Non-economic damages in medical malpractice are capped at $250,000 per defendant ($500,000 total); other personal injury cases have no caps.
Economic damages are not capped in either state, meaning you can recover the full amount of your medical bills and lost income.
Common Practice Areas Where Damages Apply
At United Law Firm, we handle personal injury cases in Florida and Texas where both economic and non-economic damages come into play:
Car Accidents: Vehicle collisions often result in medical bills, lost wages, and ongoing pain and suffering.
Truck Accidents: Commercial truck accidents cause catastrophic injuries with long-term consequences.
Motorcycle Accidents: Motorcyclists face severe injuries even in minor accidents.
Slip and Fall Accidents: Property owners must compensate you for injuries on their property.
Workplace Injuries: You may be entitled to additional damages through a personal injury claim.
Medical Malpractice: Healthcare providers must compensate victims for mistakes and suffering caused by negligent care.
Wrongful Death: Pursue both economic damages (funeral costs, lost income) and non-economic damages (loss of companionship).
How to Prove Your Damages
For economic damages:
- Keep all medical bills organized
- Get documentation from your employer about missed work
- Save receipts for everything related to your injury
- Get estimates for future medical care
For non-economic damages:
- Keep a daily journal about your pain and limitations
- Take photos of visible injuries
- Have family members write statements about changes they’ve noticed
- Get records from your doctors and therapists
Why You Need United Law Firm
Insurance companies may offer only economic damages, ignoring your pain and suffering. Don’t settle for less, contact United Law Firm to ensure you recover all the compensation you deserve.
Our personal injury attorneys can:
- Calculate the true value of your non-economic damages
- Gather the right evidence to prove your suffering
- Negotiate with insurance companies for fair compensation
- Take your case to trial if needed
- Navigate Florida and Texas state laws that affect your claim
Tips for Maximizing Your Compensation
- See a doctor immediately – Even if you don’t think you’re badly hurt
- Follow all treatment plans – Skipping appointments can hurt your claim
- Document everything – Take photos, save receipts, keep a journal
- Don’t post on social media – Insurance companies watch your accounts
- Don’t accept the first offer – Initial settlements rarely include full compensation
- Contact United Law Firm – Get experienced legal representation early
When you’re injured due to someone else’s negligence in Florida or Texas, you’re entitled to two types of damages, economic and non-economic.
Economic and non-economic damages help make you whole, covering costs and the impact of your injury.
Don’t settle for less than you deserve. If you’ve been injured in a car, truck, slip and fall, workplace, or other accident in Florida or Texas, contact our experienced personal injury lawyers at United Law Firm for a free consultation to recover full compensation.
Contact us today to get started on your path to justice and recovery.