After an accident, the losses you face aren’t limited to medical bills or lost wages. Pain, anxiety, changes in your daily life, and the loss of things that once brought joy can be just as significant. These are known as non-economic damages, and they play a major role in many New York personal injury claims. Understanding the types of damages available can help you fully appreciate the value of what was taken from you, both financially and personally.
Richmond Vona has built its reputation on standing up for injured people across New York State with open communication, compassion, and fully personalized guidance that helps clients feel supported at every step. With more than three decades of combined personal injury experience between Co-Founder and CEO John Richmond and Co-Founder Keith Vona, our team uses strategic advocacy and strong communication to protect your rights and pursue meaningful results.
With a results-oriented approach backed by serious trial attorneys who are committed to helping clients move forward, we’ve recovered more than $200 million for injured people. If you’re unsure what your claim may be worth or how non-economic damages apply to your situation, reach out to Richmond Vona for a free case evaluation.
ON THIS PAGE
- What Are Non-Economic Damages in a New York Personal Injury Claim?
- Types of Non-Economic Damages in a New York Injury Claim
- What Proof Do You Need to Claim Non-Economic Damages?
- How Non-Economic Damages Are Calculated in New York Injury Claims
- Get Help Filing a Non-Economic Damages Claim with Richmond Vona
What Are Non-Economic Damages in a New York Personal Injury Claim?
Non-economic damages are the parts of an injury that don’t come with a receipt but can still change your life in significant ways. They include the physical pain you feel, the emotional distress you’re dealing with, and the loss of comfort, confidence, or enjoyment in your daily activities.
Unlike economic damages, which cover measurable financial losses like medical bills or lost income, these losses reflect the personal impact of an accident on your relationships, independence, and overall well-being. Because non-economic damages aren’t tied to invoices, they are evaluated through evidence and testimony that illustrate how the injury has affected your day-to-day life.
Types of Non-Economic Damages in a New York Injury Claim
Non-economic damages cover the human side of an injury. These losses don’t show up on a bill, but they have a significant impact on the value of your personal injury claim.
- Pain and Suffering: This includes the physical discomfort and ongoing physical challenges you experience after the accident. It accounts for both the immediate pain and the long-term symptoms that may affect your mobility or daily comfort.
- Emotional Distress: Accidents can trigger anxiety, depression, sleep disruptions, or post-traumatic stress, affecting the emotional and psychological challenges you face during recovery.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: If your injuries prevent you from participating in hobbies, recreational activities, or simple routines that once brought you joy, this loss is recognized and compensable.
- Loss of Consortium: Serious injuries can place strain on relationships, affecting companionship, support, intimacy, and shared responsibilities. These impacts on your closest relationships fall under loss of consortium.
- Disfigurement and Scarring: Visible scarring or lasting changes to your appearance can affect confidence, daily interactions, and long-term emotional well-being.
- Disability and Loss of Bodily Function: When an injury limits mobility, coordination, strength, or other bodily functions, it affects independence and long-term quality of life.
What Proof Do You Need to Claim Non-Economic Damages?
The strength of your claim depends on showing how the accident changed your daily life. The clearer your documentation of those physical, emotional, and personal impacts, the stronger your claim becomes and the easier it is for your attorneys to advocate for the full value of what you’ve lost.
Some helpful forms of proof include, but are not limited to:
- Documentation of how your injuries affect daily life
Journals, calendars, or notes describing sleep issues, panic episodes, reduced mobility, or mood changes help illustrate the ongoing challenges you face. - Medical records and treatment notes
Therapy records, mental health evaluations, primary care notes, and pain-management documentation can show the connection between the accident and your emotional or physical symptoms. - Professional testimony
Licensed therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, or other medical professionals can help establish that your anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other emotional harm stems from the collision or traumatic event.
Statements from family, friends, or coworkers
The people closest to you can offer insight into noticeable shifts in your behavior, personality, or level of ability, some of which may not be noted in medical files but can still carry significant weight in a claim.
How Non-Economic Damages Are Calculated in New York Injury Claims
There’s no precise formula for placing a dollar value on non-economic losses, because every injury affects every person differently. Still, insurance companies and attorneys often rely on common methods to estimate the value of economic and non-economic damages in New York.
The multiplier method increases your economic losses by a number that reflects the severity of your injury. The per diem method assigns a daily dollar amount to the pain, stress, and disruption you’ve experienced throughout your recovery. The final value depends on factors like the long-term impact of the injury, your age and circumstances, the strength of your evidence, and whether the harm occurred in situations known to cause significant distress.
While no calculator can predict a specific amount, attorneys familiar with New York State injury cases can compare your situation to similar claims and outcomes to help ensure your non-economic damages aren’t minimized by insurance companies.
Get Help Filing a Non-Economic Damages Claim with Richmond Vona
Emotional distress, pain and suffering, and other non-economic losses can be some of the hardest parts of an injury, and are often the hardest to prove. You don’t have to navigate them alone. Richmond Vona is known for open, honest communication, fully personalized guidance, and a commitment to helping fellow New Yorkers feel supported from the first call.
When the unexpected happens, expect Richmond Vona. Our attorneys prioritize accessibility, making it easier for clients to get answers and updates while focusing on recovery.
If you want to understand your options or learn how non-economic damages may apply to your case, call us today for a free consultation at 716-500-5678 or contact us online.
