After a Boulder car accident, you may be able to recover compensation for the losses that you have incurred. Through a personal injury claim, you may seek economic damages to compensate for expenses and non-economic damages to make up for pain, suffering, and felt losses that were a direct result of the crash.
The most straightforward category of compensation, economic damages are associated with financial losses and expenses incurred due to injuries and property damage. These are calculated by using clear records, bills, receipts, and pay stubs. Common examples of recoverable economic damages include:
When future costs are anticipated, such as ongoing medical care or lost earning potential, your attorney may bring in experts like doctors, vocational specialists, or financial analysts.
Unlike financial losses, non-economic damages address the subjective, non-monetary impacts of the accident on your life. These are highly personal losses that a car accident victim suffers due to their injuries and disabilities. Because they don’t come with a bill or receipt, determining their value involves a far more subjective evaluation than calculating economic damages.
Non-economic damages attempt to compensate for losses such as:
Calculating these more subjective damages can be difficult, as there is no method legally established. Ultimately, juries are often instructed to use their experience and common sense to determine a fair value for personal and emotional harm you have endured.
Your attorney may use the multiplier method or the per diem method to estimate non-economic damages as a part of your demand letter. The multiplier is a number between one and five, based on the severity of your injuries, with a higher number indicating more severe, life-altering impacts. This multiplier is then applied to your total economic damages. The per diem method assigns a daily value, which is calculated by the number of days it took for you to recover.
For cases with particularly negligent drivers, the court may decide to award punitive or exemplary damages. This type of damage is meant not as compensation to the victim but as a punishment for the at-fault driver. These are rarely awarded, but consulting with an attorney may help you understand if your case may qualify.
Working with a Boulder car accident attorney from Purvis Thomson, LLP can help you calculate the potential recoverable damages you could receive from your Boulder car accident claim. Contact us today to set up a free initial consultation.
