Damages refer to the money that the law permits victims to recover in a personal injury lawsuit.
There are three types of personal injury damages: general, special, and punitive. Nebraska generally does not allow punitive damages in personal injury cases.
Special and general damages are both considered compensatory damages, meaning they intend to restore compensation to victims for their losses, to make them “whole”.
Special damages, sometimes called economic damages, compensate victims for out-of-pocket expenses, such as:
- Medical treatment;
- Future medical treatment;
- Lost wages;
- Property loss.
General damages, or non-economic damages, are harder to quantify. They may include compensation related to:
- Pain and suffering;
- Loss of enjoyment of life;
- Disability or disfigurement.
