How are damages categorized in an Ohio personal injury case?

In Ohio personal injury cases, damages are categorized primarily into three types: economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.

Economic damages refer to quantifiable monetary losses that a victim experiences as a result of an injury. This includes medical expenses, lost wages, and any other out-of-pocket costs associated with the injury. These damages can be calculated with relative ease because they are based on actual financial losses.

Non-economic damages, on the other hand, compensate the victim for intangible losses that are more challenging to quantify. This category includes pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of companionship, and loss of enjoyment of life. The law recognizes that these experiences can significantly affect a victim's quality of life, even if they do not result in a direct financial loss.

Finally, punitive damages serve a different purpose; they are not intended to compensate the victim but rather to punish the wrongdoer for particularly egregious behavior and to deter similar conduct in the future. In Ohio, punitive damages are awarded in cases where the defendant's actions are found to be malicious, reckless, or intentionally harmful.

Thus, categorizing damages in this tri-partite manner allows for a comprehensive approach to compensation that addresses both the tangible and intangible impacts of personal injuries on victims