Economic damages are quantifiable financial losses incurred by plaintiffs. Medical bills, lost income, property damage, and out-of-pocket expenses are all types of losses that would be considered economic damages.
In Georgia, plaintiffs may recover compensation for any economic damages they incur because of defendants’ negligent actions. There are several forms of evidence that can be used to establish claims for economic damages in your case. Our personal injury lawyers can help calculate your losses and pursue the payment you deserve.
If you were injured because of someone else’s negligent conduct in Georgia, get help pursuing the monetary damages available to you. Reach out to our experienced Georgia personal injury lawyers by calling Howe Law at (844) 876-4357. Our attorneys can provide a free review of your case.
Types of Economic Damages You Can Recover in Georgia
There are multiple forms of monetary damages available to personal injury victims in Georgia. The type and amount of damages to be awarded in your case will be dependent on the extent of harm you suffered. During your free case review, our Atlanta personal injury lawyers can help explain which of the following categories of economic damages can be sought:
Medical Expenses
Medical expenses are a common type of economic damages sought by plaintiffs in personal injury cases. You may recover payment for any medical bills you incur because of your personal injury. This includes the cost of all past, current, and future medical care related to this injury.
Damages for medical expenses are usually calculated and established using medical records and bills. Accordingly, it is crucial that you seek medical care as soon as possible after suffering a personal injury. Waiting to let your injuries heal on their own could inhibit the amount of compensation you can recover. Furthermore, defendants may attempt to use a delay in treatment to say that you were not truly hurt. Our team can help find the right doctors for you.
Lost Wages
Lost wages are another form of economic damages that can be recovered by personal injury plaintiffs in Georgia. In many cases, victims are unable to return to work until their injuries heal. Accordingly, after suffering a personal injury, you may recover compensation for any lost income you sustained during recovery. Damages for lost wages are usually calculated using your average weekly wage.
In some cases, personal injury victims are permanently restricted from performing the same duties that they engaged in before their accidents. Therefore, plaintiffs may also pursue payment for their lost earning capacity in the future.
However, seeking compensation for lost future earning capacity can be complicated. Typically, expert witness testimony is necessary to support such a claim. Our experienced Savannah personal injury lawyers can help gather and present the information required to recover compensation for your lost earning capacity in the future.
Property Damage
Property damage is another type of economic loss suffered by personal injury plaintiffs in Georgia. There are several forms of property damage that can occur. For instance, a car accident victim may incur severe damage to their vehicle. Further, a worker injured because of a construction accident may suffer damage to their personal tools. In such cases, our attorneys can help victims pursue payment for the cost of repair or replacement of their damaged property.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses
Lastly, out-of-pocket expenses are also a form of economic damages that can be recovered by personal injury plaintiffs. There are several different types of out-of-pocket expenses that victims can suffer. For instance, a plaintiff may incur expensive transportation costs when travelling to and from their court proceedings and medical appointments. Furthermore, during an injured parent’s recovery, they may have to pay for costly assistance with child care.
Our Valdosta personal injury lawyers can help recover compensation for any out-of-pocket expenses you suffer because of your personal injury. These damages are usually established using financial documents like receipts. Therefore, you should keep the receipts for any out-of-pocket expenses you incur.
Evidence Used to Recover Economic Damages in Georgia
In order to recover economic damages in Georgia, plaintiffs must gather evidence that proves they incurred financial losses because of defendants’ negligent conduct. There are several forms of evidence that can be used to establish damages and prove fault. The following are common forms of evidence utilized by our Georgia personal injury lawyers:
- Medical records
- Medical bills
- Pay stubs
- Receipts
- Witness statements
- Expert witness statements
- Photos from the scene
- Physical evidence from the scene
- Accident reports
- Surveillance footage
Unfortunately, parties in control of pertinent evidence may not cooperate easily with plaintiffs. Our attorneys can help collect the evidence required to support a claim for economic damages in your case.
How Long Do You Have to Recover Economic Damages in a Georgia Personal Injury Case?
O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 establishes that you will have two years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit seeking economic damages related to the injury you suffered. Accordingly, cases seeking payment for medical bills, lost income, and out-of-pocket expenses should be filed within two years of the dates of plaintiffs’ injuries. Failure to adhere to this deadline could cause you to forfeit your case.
A separate statute of limitations applies to claims for property damage in Georgia. Under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-31, you will typically have four years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit seeking compensation for property damage related to your personal injury.
You should still contact our Warner Robins personal injury lawyers as soon as possible after your accident. Crucial evidence can become hard to collect as time goes on. For example, witnesses can forget details surrounding your accident, and physical evidence can be misplaced. The sooner you contact our team, the more easily we can gather the information needed to win your case.
If You Suffered Economic Damages Because of a Personal Injury in Georgia, Our Attorneys Can Help
If you incurred economic damages because of someone else’s negligent conduct, seek support from our experienced Alpharetta personal injury lawyers by calling Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 for a free review of your case.
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