When you are injured in an accident caused by an intoxicated driver and want to file a lawsuit, one of the first things you ought to know is what types of damages you are eligible for. Call your local attorney for more info on DWI accidents and the damages that might be recoverable.
What are Reparations?
The legal term “damages” refers to monetary compensation awarded by a court. Damages are usually categorized as either compensatory or punitive. The purpose of compensatory damages is to compensate you for your economic and non-economic losses.
Types of Restitution Damages
You may be eligible for various compensatory damages in an intoxicated driving accident. This includes reimbursement for the following:
- If you have medical expenses, you can submit a claim to receive reimbursement to cover your expenses.
- If you cannot perform your duties and responsibilities at work due to injuries sustained in an accident, you may forfeit your income. Consequently, you are entitled to compensation.
- Loss of Future Earnings: The loss of future earnings occurs if you sustain a lifelong disability that prevents you from seeking work in the same field or job positions you previously held. Personal injury attorneys can assist you in pursuing compensation for this loss.
- If you are no longer able to work, it will be difficult for you to cover the cost of your domestic expenses. This may include the cost of property maintenance. You are entitled to reimbursement if the accident has affected your current and future earning potential.
- Pain and Suffering: Automobile accident survivors who endure permanent disability or disfigurement frequently struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder. Managing the disaster itself may be traumatic enough. Add the difficulty of coping with an impairment or disfigurement that can affect a person’s sense of self-worth and trust as well as one’s ability to secure a job or earn a livelihood, and the car accident victim will endure tremendous pain and suffering. If the incident resulted in the demise of a family member or the family’s breadwinner, the consequences would be more severe.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are intended to “punish” a wrongdoer and differ from the compensatory kinds of damages enumerated above. Punitive consequences are not available in all auto collisions but may be available when inebriated drivers are involved.
When a defendant “knowingly pursued a course of conduct that posed a substantial risk of serious harm to others,” they become available. When someone knows or should know that they have had too much to drink but decides to drive anyway and causes a collision, punitive damages can often be sought in addition to the above-listed compensatory damages.
