How Are Future Damages Calculated in Injury Claims? | Texas

Getting injured is never on your to-do list. Injuries can put a stop to your life for weeks, to even years, depending on the severity. One way to reclaim your life is to seek damages. Past damages are one thing, but how does one calculate damages for the future?

If you’ve been hurt in an accident, your future damages should be included to help you recover from the suffering you experience. At The Estes Law Firm, our lawyers are here to guide you through your damages and help you calculate current and future damages.

What Damages Are Available in Texas Personal Injury Claims?

There are two categories of damages available in Texas personal injury cases: compensatory and punitive. Compensatory damages are meant to repay you for any losses and expenses you incurred due to the incident that caused your injuries.
Compensatory damages include the following:

Coverage of medical bills, prescription costs, and other healthcare needs
Reimbursement of lost wages from being forced to take time off work
Coverage of property damage
Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses like household services
Pain and suffering

Punitive damages are meant to punish the guilty party for gross acts of negligence. If you and your attorney are able to prove that the other party maliciously caused your injuries, or that the other party was extremely reckless, punitive damages may come into play.

Damages are also divided between economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages are things that have a clear price tag, and things that come with receipts, like medications. Non-economic damages are more difficult to calculate because they don’t have a dollar amount. Non-economic damages include concepts like pain and suffering.

Steps to Calculating Future Damages

To calculate past damages, you and your attorney will compile all of your expense records like medical bills, prescription receipts, or invoices from the mechanic, and add them together. That’s the simple part.
From there, your attorney will work on calculating your non-economic damages. Non-economic damages are things without a clear price tag, such as pain and suffering. To do so, your attorney will investigate how severe your injuries are and how they’re impacting your day-to-day life.

Calculating future damages is more complex. There are no invoices to use. You and your attorney will use the calculations from your past damages and apply them to your future. This involves predicting how your injury will continue to impact your life over time. This may require testimony from physical healthcare providers and mental health professionals.
Your future damages heavily depend on the extent of your injuries. If you’re expected to make a full recovery in a few months, your future damages will be less than someone who has permanent damage to a major part of their body, such as their neck and spine.

Without the help of an experienced personal injury attorney, you may end up accepting much less than your claim is worth. Be sure to consult a lawyer you trust before proceeding.

Get Guidance Calculating Your Damages with a Lawyer

If you or someone you care about are struggling with calculating the value of your personal injury claim, know that there are resources available to you. Don’t try to do it all by yourself. An experienced personal injury attorney will make short work of this difficult task, giving you more time to rest and recover from your injury.

The Estes Law Firm offers free consultations and is available whenever you’re ready. Reach out at 281-238-5400 or by filling out the following online contact form.