What money damages might be available after a brain injury?

One of the best things about the legal system is its potential to hold others responsible for their actions.

Pennsylvania residents can suffer life-altering consequences because someone else made a bad decision or broke the law. Accordingly, it is not only important to hold that person accountable for what they have done to the injured person, but it may also prevent future injuries from occurring as a result of the same conduct.

In the civil system, the primary way in which accountability is obtained is through an award of monetary damages to the injured person. For instance, last week this blog discussed how motor vehicle accidents are a top source of closed head injury. If the crash or other incident is caused by someone else’s negligence, the injured party may be able to obtain an award of damages to compensate him or her for the injuries suffered.

A brain injury in particular can result in a substantial award of damages. This is because the effects of the injury can be extensive, including the potential for changes in a person’s life, long-term therapy and high medical expenses as a result of any necessary treatment.

Different kinds of damages exist to compensate the person for the different harms they have suffered. An award of damages for medical expenses or lost wages is fairly self-explanatory, as these damages can compensate the person for their expenses suffered as a result of the injury, either in terms of what they have expended or what they have failed to gain in income.

Other kinds of damages can compensate the person for the pain and suffering they have to endure as a result of the injury, as well as the effects the injury has had on the person’s life or even in their marriage. Ultimately, the goal should be for the injured person to be made whole, to the extent that is possible, which means that different kinds of damages can compensate the person to account for the different ways in which the injury has impacted their life.

Source: Findlaw, “Brain injury lawsuit FAQs,” accessed on Sept. 3, 2016