In any personal injury case, you may find yourself eligible for two distinct, yet related types of compensation: economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are those awarded for financial losses that are easy to quantify in monetary terms.

Some examples of economic damages that may apply to your case include medical expenses, lost wages or reduced earning potential, vehicle or property replacement, and loss of investment, employment, or business income.

Non-economic damages, on the other hand, generally refer to compensation awarded for losses of a less monetary nature, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of consortium, and loss of enjoyment of life. Separately, injury victims may be awarded punitive damages, which are meant to send a message to egregious or repeat civil offenders.

Below, we will review some legal concepts that will help you understand the nitty-gritty of how economic damages work in the state of Utah.

Understanding How Damages Are Awarded In Utah

Every state, including the Beehive State, uses different legal standards to help assess the amount of compensation an injury victim should receive.

One legal concept every plaintiff in Utah should understand is the standard of modified comparative fault, which allows a court to divide liability among multiple parties. While this standard sounds relatively benign, it can hurt accident victims’ cases if they are found to be partly at fault, either by reducing or altogether barring their right to compensation.

Typically, holding a majority of the liability (i.e., 51 percent or more) in an accident will render an injury victim incapable of recovering damages.

Note that while non-economic damages for medical malpractice cases in the state of Utah are capped at $450,000, this upper limit does not apply to personal injury cases. Likewise, there is no cap on the amount of economic damages a plaintiff can be awarded.

Work with a Utah Personal Injury Lawyer

The law is already a complicated and tedious enough matter, which highlights how critical it is to find an attorney who doesn’t contribute further stress and headache to your life during a vulnerable period.

If you’re a resident of the state of Utah, you may have come to the right place. For personalized and compassionate legal representation, contact a Utah personal injury lawyer at Craig Swapp & Associates today. Call our firm at 1-800-404-9000 or complete the form below to schedule a no-cost consultation.