What are "general damages"?

General damages refer to compensation awarded in a personal injury case that is intended to address the non-economic impacts of an injury. This encompasses damages such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and other forms of mental anguish that are not easily quantifiable in financial terms. Unlike special damages, which directly correlate to economic losses like medical expenses or lost wages, general damages recognize the subjective, personal suffering that a victim experiences due to the incident.

This distinction is crucial in personal injury law, as the courts acknowledge that not all harm can be measured strictly in monetary terms. Therefore, while some damages can be quantified (like medical bills), general damages seek to provide relief for broader, intangible losses. This understanding is fundamental in both the assessment of damages in a case and the overall approach to valuing the impact of injuries on an individual's life.