In any personal injury case, plaintiffs may receive several different types of compensation in damages.
Each case will have unique claims, with damages differing from instance to instance.
Compensatory
Pennsylvania State Legislature discusses compensatory damages. Generally speaking, in the state, these damages do not hit a cap unless it involves the government. In such cases, damages cap out at $250,000 per plaintiff or $1 million total.
Beyond that, these damages end up in two categories. The first, economic and special compensatory damages, include damages specified in dollar amounts. This can include things like property damage, lost wages and medical bills.
General compensatory damages cover that which is not financial. This can include loss of companionship, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment or disfigurement.
Punitive
These damages typically do not apply to most workers’ compensation cases. This punishes the defendant for the behavior they stand accused of, rather than paying the plaintiff for the damages they suffered.
Typically, these damages cap out at twice the amount of compensatory damages. They apply in situations where a judge decided that the defendant acted without regard for the safety of others. Judges may award such damages in an effort to keep others from engaging in such behaviors.
The type of compensation that a worker may expect will typically vary vastly from case to case and depend on numerous different factors. Contact your Workers’ Compensation Specialist for a free, no-obligation consultation to learn how we can help you. Call 610-892-9300 or reach us online.