Pain and Suffering in Injury Claims

Unlike medical bills or lost wages, non-economic damages do not come with an invoice. Medical records, treatment history, testimony, photographs, and evidence showing changes in work, activities, and daily life can help document how an injury has affected someone. See medical bills for economic losses and psychological effects when mental-health care is documented.

Pain and Suffering vs. Punitive Damages

Frequently asked questions

Related resources

• Alabama Personal Injury Law — Alabama Personal Injury Law

  Alabama personal injury claims are generally governed by Alabama law. In many ordinary-negligence cases, contributory negligence can bar recovery if the injured person is found to have contributed to the injury. Georgia uses a different fault system.

• Georgia Personal Injury Law — Georgia Personal Injury Law

  Georgia generally uses modified comparative fault. An injured person’s damages may be reduced by that person’s percentage of fault, and recovery is generally barred if the injured person is 50 percent or more at fault under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33. Alabama uses a different fault system.

• Medical Bills and Lost Wages — Medical Bills and Lost Wages

  Medical expenses and lost income are economic damages when they can be proven and tied to the injury. Health insurance, write-offs, liens, and other payment issues can affect what is owed and what may be recoverable. Pay stubs, employer records, tax records, and other documentation may support a lost-income claim.

• Scarring and Disfigurement — Scarring and Disfigurement

  Scarring and disfigurement may be documented with photographs, specialist records, treatment or revision recommendations, and evidence showing how the injury affects daily life. There is no universal formula for determining the value of a scarring or disfigurement claim.