WHEN ARE PUNITIVE DAMAGES AWARDED IN TEXAS?
If you have been injured due to another party’s negligence, you may be entitled to recover compensation. The type of compensation you receive differs in every case because every case is unique. Read on to learn more about the different types of compensation that may be awarded in a Texas personal injury case.
Economic vs. Non-Economic Damages
The two main forms of compensation for a personal injury accident are economic and non-economic.
Economic damages: You may recover economic compensation for quantifiable burdens. For example, you can present a court with hospital bills and other medical bills related to your injury. Economic damages may also include lost wages and property damage.
Non-economic damages: This form of compensation is a bit more complicated. In some cases, the injured party may be compensated for the physical and emotional burdens brought on by the accident. For example, some people have received compensation for things like loss of enjoyment of life, loss of independence, pain and suffering, and more.
Sometimes, the victim of an accident may be awarded one or both types of compensation. In rare cases, the injured party may also be awarded punitive damages.
What Are Punitive Damages?
Punitive damages are rarely awarded in personal injury cases. Punitive damages are not meant to award the injured party, but rather to punish the negligent party and deter him or her from engaging in this behavior in the future. Punitive damages are so rare because they are only awarded in cases of extreme or outrageous negligence. For example, punitive damages may be awarded in a drunk driving case. Because the driver got behind the wheel of a car knowing the potential consequences and chose to do so anyway, he or she is more than just negligent.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident, contact our firm to speak with a knowledgeable attorney. We are here to walk you through all your personal injury matters.
Contact Our Experienced Texas Firm
No matter your circumstances, if you have been injured in a car accident in Texas, you need not suffer alone–our firm is here to help you through every step of the legal process so that you can focus solely on what matters most: healing, so you can live a happy, productive life for years to come. If you are ready to move forward with your personal injury claim, all you have to do is reach out to The Law Offices of Steve Brannan today and we will begin the claims process.