Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyer

Types of Damages

When filing a negligence lawsuit against a defendant the goal is almost always to receive some form of compensation. In order for a case to be successful, the type of compensation requested must be realistic, reasonable, and appropriate to the type of injury that occurred. There are three major types of damages that can be awarded: special damages, general damages, and punitive damages.

Special Damages

Both special damages and general damages are considered "compensatory"; that is, they exist in order to compensate the victim for the injuries that have occurred. Special damages are concrete, specific damages that can be objectively quantified. Lost wages (both past, present, and future), medical expenses, and damage to property are all examples of special damages.

General Damages

Also compensatory, general damages are less quantifiable than special damages. They typically deal with more nebulous concepts such as "pain and suffering" or "emotional trauma". There is no exact outline for how these types of damages are awarded, and as such, they are often the subject of significant controversy.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages refer to damages which are not intended to compensate the victim, but to deter and, as the name implies, punish the defendant. Often times these are included in particularly severe cases of negligence or simply to teach a lesson to a larger company who would likely not feel the impact of a small settlement.

Contact Us

This article is not intended to serve as, or as a replacement for, legal advice. If you have been injured as a result of someone else's negligence, contact the Las Vegas personal injury lawyers of William Palmer & Associates, P.C. at 702-888-2222.