Special Damages: Personal Injury and Property Damage

When deciding upon a lawyer to handle your personal injury case, there are many criteria that you will want to bear in mind. Among the most important of these criteria is the ability to properly identify and calculate the full measure of damages to which you are entitled. Remember that you will have just one opportunity to pursue compensation for the losses and expenses related to your injuries through the civil court system. If you find that you were not properly compensated for your injuries after your case was settled, you cannot return to the courts for a second opportunity. You simply have to live with your loss.

There are several types of damages that can be sought in personal injury claims; however, most can be sorted into one of two basic categories: general and special. Among the most common types of special damages is compensation for property damage. The personal injury attorneys of Chanfrau & Chanfrau are experts in personal injury and property damage. At our Daytona Beach law firm, our skilled and experienced lawyers will fight to ensure that you receive every cent you deserve under the law.

What are general and special damages?

General damages refer to those that are more subjective insofar as they do not usually have an exact dollar amount attached to them. They are awarded to compensate the injured plaintiff for more abstract injuries, such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, and diminished quality of life.

Special damages refer to those that compensate the injured plaintiff for demonstrable, out-of-pocket losses. These damages are usually easier to calculate than general damages because they often have actual dollar amounts attached to them, especially in the case of past medical and rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, and - as specifically concerns us here - the repair and replacement of damaged property.

Litigating Property Damage Claims: Insurance Bad Faith

Often, property damage claims are not filed against the average person, although it is entirely possible. In many cases, the defendant in property damage cases is a large insurance company that has denied or attempted to underpay a legitimate claim. Insurance companies, despite their promotional campaigns that strive to depict them as groups of warm, caring individuals who have only your best interests at heart, are giant corporate entities with bottom lines to look after and profits to make. Their goal is to minimize their payouts and deny as many claims as they legally can.

Our attorneys are willing and eager to stand up to even the largest and most powerful insurance companies in the nation, pursuing cases all the way to verdict if we feel that it is in the best interests of our clients. We will do whatever it takes to ensure that you are fully compensated for whatever losses and expenses you have suffered due to someone else’s negligence, including damage to your property.

Learn More about Personal Injury and Property Damage

To learn more about personal injury and property damage, please contact the law firm of Chanfrau & Chanfrau today.