In the city of San Luis Obispo, compensatory damages may be awarded in civil court to a plaintiff who has sued a defendant due to injury or loss. Compensatory damages are those that replace what the plaintiff has paid or lost as a result of the incident.
When a plaintiff wins a lawsuit, compensatory damages can cover the costs of almost anything associated with the incident. A plaintiff may recover damages for medical bills that were paid for, for pay that was missed due to being forced to take time off work, and even for a loss of future earnings due to a reduced capacity to work. Additionally, a plaintiff can receive compensation for property damage that they had to pay to have repaired.
For example: John is driving down the road and travels into an intersection at which he has the green light. Christine is traveling into the same intersection but has the red light. Christine fails to stop, broadsiding John’s vehicle. As a result of the accident, John suffers neck and back injuries and his car sustains thousands of dollars of damage. John pays out of pocket for both his injuries and the damage to his car. John can sue Christine in civil court and be awarded compensatory damages which Christine will be legally bound to pay.
This is just one example of the type of personal injury and property damage case that could result in the awarding of compensatory damages. If you were due to someone’s negligence, you could have a claim for damages of your own. Consult an experienced personal injury attorney for more information.
