Anyone who meets with a personal injury attorney will quickly become familiar with the concept of damages. Damages are the compensable injuries that occurred, meaning they're the things you're being paid for. You might be surprised to learn that there are several major kinds of damages. Personal injury attorneys frequently seek the following four types on behalf of their clients.

Medical

When you think about the notion of a personal injury, the direct physical harm that a victim suffered is likely to be the first thing that comes to mind. In the language of a personal injury lawyer, these are the economic damages arising from medical expenses.

Notably, medical damages cover both past and future costs. With past costs, it's fairly easy for a personal injury attorney to outline what the damages are. They line up all of the current medical bills for things like surgeries, physical therapy sessions, medications, and medical equipment.

Future bills, however, have to be something of a best guess. Personal injury lawyers often discuss cases with experts who can explain how many more procedures it takes to address a victim's condition. In some cases, such as for victims who've suffered permanent spinal damage, these projections may have to cover the remainder of the claimant's life.

Pain, Suffering, and Trauma

One of the big things that determine how much compensation is involved in a case is likely to be the damages for pain, suffering, and trauma. While these might seem difficult to calculate, the insurance industry and most courts use a multiplier. A personal injury lawyer will document a victim's experience based on personal journals and expert opinions.

The multiplier is then set to something from 1.5 to 5 depending on how severe and long-lasting the victim's suffering is. By applying the multiplier to the medical damages, you can arrive at a compensation figure for pain, suffering, and trauma.

Wages

You're also entitled to compensation for any wages you've lost. This includes wages since the time of the incident and projected earnings for the remainder of your working life. Notably, this is based on the occupation you had at the time of the accident, not whatever you might have been training for or aspiring to.

Enjoyment of Life

The loss of the ability to enjoy life is compensable, too. Consortium with a spouse, the ability to provide parenting, and engagement in hobbies all fall under this heading. 

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