What Are Non-Economic Damages in Oklahoma?

What Are Non-Economic Damages in Oklahoma?

There is one question that the experienced Oklahoma City personal injury attorneys at McGuire Law Firm receive on a regular basis:

"What are non-economic damages in Oklahoma?"

If you would like to know the answer to this question, all you need to do is keep reading. Should you need any additional details afterward, please do not hesitate to give us a call or contact us online.

Understanding Non-Economic Damages in Oklahoma

There are two distinct types of available damages in personal injury cases in Oklahoma. They are:

Judges and juries award non-economic damages to compensate victims for any abstract losses they incurred as a result of their injuries. Plaintiffs cannot generally quantify these losses by presenting the court with bills or invoices. As such, it can sometimes be tricky to assess the value of an individual's non-economic damages.

Economic damages, on the other hand, are much easier to quantify.

They are paid out to victims to recompense them for direct financial costs they incurred as a result of their injury. Plaintiffs typically receive damages like these for their medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage.

If you would like to have a lawyer from McGuire Law Firm provide you with more information about the main differences between non-economic and economic damages, please get in touch with us today. Our legal team has years of experience in the industry and would be happy to answer all of your questions.

Common Types of Non-Economic Damages in the State of Oklahoma

Oklahoma residents can recover many kinds of non-economic damages at the conclusion of a personal injury lawsuit, including:

Pain and Suffering

Severe injuries can prevent victims from performing normal daily activities like helping out around the house or playing with their children. They may be able to receive compensation for this life alteration by filing a lawsuit.

Mental Anguish

Injuries sustained in truck and bicycle accidents can leave victims feeling humiliated or in shock. They are usually entitled to compensation for this mental pain.

Loss of Enjoyment of Life

Injuries often prevent victims from engaging in activities that bring them joy - like sports or dance. By filing a personal injury lawsuit, they can get compensation for their loss of enjoyment.

Inconvenience

When Oklahomans get into accidents, they frequently need to spend time making phone calls, sending emails, and standing in long lines. They may be able to claim compensation for their inconvenience by filing a personal injury lawsuit against the liable party.

Loss of Consortium

When a victim's death causes their family to live without their support and guidance, they can often file a claim for loss of consortium. Many times, spouses have a legitimate claim for loss of consortium because they are stripped of the ability to be intimate with their injured partner.

Punitive Damages

If a defendant acts intentionally or with malice, the victim and their family can sometimes claim punitive damages.

Would you like to have a lawyer from McGuire Law Firm help you fight for damages for your loss of consortium or mental pain? Then please give us a call today to set up a free consultation at our office in Oklahoma City. We have handled countless cases like yours over the years, and we know what it takes to win.

How Courts in Oklahoma Determine the Amount of Compensation Injured Parties Should Receive

The amount of non-economic compensation paid out to the victims of car accidents and dog bites in the state of Oklahoma can vary significantly from one case to the next. When determining the size of each person's payout, insurance companies and courts can consider a variety of factors, like:

  • Whether the victim's injury stops them from playing with their kids
  • Whether the victim's injury prevents them from doing housework
  • Whether the victim's injury caused them any embarrassment
  • Whether the victim's injury inconvenienced them in any way
  • Whether the victim's injury prevents them from playing sports
  • Whether the defendant acted intentionally or with malice

Courts cannot easily quantify non-economic damages. As such, it may be a little tricky to estimate how much compensation each victim will receive.

Generally speaking, victims who sustain injuries that irreversibly alter the course of their life receive the most substantial payouts.

Would you like to have our skilled personal injury lawyers help you pursue damages for your mental anguish or inconvenience? If so, please contact us today to set up a free consultation at our law offices in Oklahoma City. We have been helping clients file personal injury lawsuits for many years, and we are ready to do the same for you.

Does Oklahoma Cap Non-Economic Awards in Personal Injury Cases?

For years, Oklahoma state law limited the amount of compensation injured parties could recover for their pain and suffering after auto accidents. The government set this cap at $350,000.

In 2019, however, the Oklahoma Supreme Court decided to invalidate this law, saying that it is unconstitutional. As such, the state of Oklahoma does not currently have any rule that limits the amount of compensation injured parties may recover for their non-economic losses.

Do you want to have a knowledgeable lawyer from McGuire Law Firm help you pursue damages for pain and suffering or mental anguish after a truck accident in Oklahoma City? Then please do not hesitate to give us a call to set up a free consultation with one of our team members. We know what it takes to win cases like yours, and we are ready to fight for you.

How Do I Know If I Qualify For an Award of Non-Economic Damages?

If you’ve sustained injuries because of another person's reckless or negligent behavior, you can almost always pursue non-economic damages. To do so, you must file a lawsuit against the responsible party. 

In order to recover these damages, you’ll have to be able to prove:

  • The other party owed you a duty of care
  • The other party's negligent actions breached that duty
  • The other party's breach of duty caused you to suffer damages
  • Your non-economic damages are as extensive as you claim

There are a wide range of ways for plaintiffs to prove that they are eligible to recover non-economic damages after an accident. However, Oklahoma courts tend to find witness testimony to be the most compelling evidence in cases of this nature.

Would you like to have an experienced lawyer from McGuire Law Firm analyze your case and let you know whether you will be able to meet the evidentiary burden to claim pain and suffering damages? If so, all you have to do is pick up the phone and give us a call as soon as possible. We are ready and waiting to provide you with the assistance you require.

What is the Deadline for Claiming Non-Economic Damages in Oklahoma?

The statute of limitations for just about all personal injury lawsuits in the Sooner State is two years. Thus, anyone who wishes to pursue non-economic damages after an injury-causing car wreck or dog attack must sue the responsible party before the second anniversary of the incident.

In the state of Oklahoma, the standard statute of limitations for wrongful death claims is also two years. So, when a person's recklessness causes injuries resulting in a death, the decedent's family have until their second anniversary to start pursuing economic and non-economic compensation.

Is the statute of limitations on your personal injury or wrongful death case set to expire in the coming months? If so, please speak with the attorneys at McGuire Law Firm as soon as possible. We might be able to use our knowledge of Oklahoma's legal system to expedite your filing.

How McGuire Law Firm Can Help You Pursue Non-Economic Damages After an Accident in Oklahoma City, OK

If you want to pursue compensation for pain and suffering after a truck or bicycle accident, hiring a knowledgeable Oklahoma personal injury lawyer from McGuire Law Firm is the perfect place to begin. Here's a brief list of some of the many ways our team can assist with your case:

  • Accurately assess your non-economic damages
  • Walk you through your available legal options
  • Look for evidence to prove the other party's liability
  • Identify the party that is liable for your non-economic damages
  • Investigate the cause of your accident
  • Speak with industry experts about the details of your lawsuit
  • Communicate with the defendant's insurer for you
  • Provide you with straightforward answers to your legal questions
  • Handle your personal injury lawsuit's paperwork load
  • Help you understand how the Oklahoma civil justice system works
  • Research and devise a smart legal strategy for your case
  • Offer you sound legal advice on an as-needed basis
  • Work out a settlement with the other party's insurance company
  • Represent you in court, if required

Our goal is to help you recover maximum compensation for your injuries, pain, and suffering. Give our law office in Oklahoma City a call to find out how we can help you during this tough time. Your first case evaluation with our personal injury attorneys is always free. 

What Are Non-Economic Damages in Oklahoma? Our Team Can Give You the Information You Need

"What are non-economic damages in Oklahoma?" We hope we have given you the information you require on this web page. However, if you happen to have any additional questions, please feel free to call McGuire Law Firm at any time.