What are special damages in Texas?

Asked by: Alaina Orn IV  |  Last update: August 8, 2023
Score: 4.4/5 (6 votes)

In Texas, as in most states, these two types of damages are known as special damages and general damages. In this case, the concept of special damages refers to specific expenses, such as clearly quantifiable medical bills, property damages and/or loss of wages.

What are special damages under Texas law?

Special Damages are one of two forms of compensatory damages in Texas personal injury cases. Special Damages compensate for out-of-pocket losses such as: Past and future medical expenses. Loss of income, but current and future. Repair or replacement of property.

What are examples of special damages?

Types of Special Damages
  • Lost wages and loss of earning capacity.
  • Medical expenses, both past and future.
  • Loss of irreplaceable items.
  • Replacement or repair of property damage.
  • Personal care costs.
  • Cost of living with a disability.
  • Costs associated with lessening their own liability.

What are special damages recoverable for?

Special damages (also called “consequential damages”) cover any loss incurred by the breach of contract because of special circumstances or conditions that are not ordinarily predictable.

What is the difference between compensatory damages and special damages?

There are two separate types of compensatory damages: “general damages” and “special damages.” General damages are the non-economic damages, commonly referred to as pain and suffering. Special Damages are economic damages, the medical bills, the lost earnings, all out-of-pocket expenses incurred because of the injury.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPECIAL AND GENERAL DAMAGES? SPECIAL AND GENERAL DAMAGES #shorts

16 related questions found

Are special damages the same as punitive damages?

General and special damages are compensatory damages, which serve to compensate the plaintiff for economic loss and pain and suffering, attempting to make them whole. Punitive damages are meant to punish the defendant for his or her negligence or recklessness.

What are 2 types of compensatory damages?

There are two types of compensatory damages—general and actual. Actual damages are intended to provide funds to only replace what was lost. General compensatory damages awarded are more complex, as these compensatory damages do not represent a monetary expenditure.

Which type of damages are not recoverable?

Punitive Damages: Damages designed to punish a wrongdoer and to deter similar conduct in the future. Such damages are generally not recoverable in breach of contract actions, unless the breaching party's actions give rise to a separate tort claim.

What is a claim for special damages?

Special damages is compensation to cover the financial losses and expenses incurred as a result of an accident or negligent medical treatment. The aim is to put you back in the financial position you would have been in, had the accident or medical negligence not occurred.

What are the three kinds of damages you can be awarded?

Civil damages refers to how much money you may get in a settlement or court award (Kenton, 2020). There are three types of damage that form the foundation of most civil lawsuits: compensatory, nominal, and punitive. An attorney can estimate how much your claim may be worth based on your damages.

What is the special damages rule?

In tort law, special damages are damages like car dents or medical expenses that can actually be ascertained, and they are contrasted with general damages, which refer to damages for things like intentional infliction of emotional distress which do not have a set monetary cost.

What are special damages for?

In definition, special damages are categories of damages that financially compensate the injured person for losses suffered due to the defendant's actions. They are out-of-pocket expenses that can be determined by adding all the plaintiff's quantifiable financial losses.

What type of damages are most likely to be awarded?

Compensatory damages are the most common type of damages awarded in personal injury cases. These damages compensate the injured party for losses.

What is the difference between general damages and special damages in Texas?

Types of damages in an injury claim

Pain and suffering, however, falls under the heading of general damages. Special damages = clearly quantifiable costs. General damages = intangible value of something lost. General damages are typically harder to calculate because they don't lend themselves to a line-item approach.

Can you sue for pain and suffering in Texas?

Pain and suffering are some of the most common categories of non-economic damages in personal injury cases. Fortunately, the courts in Texas recognize these intangible losses.

How is pain and suffering calculated Texas?

In Texas, the basic multiplier method is used to determine the value of pain and suffering in personal injury cases. An insurance company will add up all of your economic damages like medical bills and lost wages, and multiply the sum by on a scale between 1.5 and five.

What is without proof of special damages?

Without proof of special damage means, that the Plaintiff need not prove that she has suffered any resulting damages, as any damage is presumed because of the nature of the defamation.

What are special or indirect damages?

Indirect damages (also called special damages) are those the parties, with their intimate knowledge of the deal, would expect the non-breaching party to incur. Examples of indirect damages fall into two categories, incidental and consequential damages.

What is the difference between special and direct damages?

The distinction between general [or direct] and special [or consequential] damages is not that one is and the other is not the direct and proximate consequence of the breach complained of, but that general [or direct] damages are such as naturally and ordinarily follow the breach, whereas special [or consequential] ...

Which damages that is generally not awarded?

In a contract case, punitive damages are generally not awarded. This is because the law generally recognizes that parties should be allowed to breach a contract where it would be more economically efficient to do so.

What are the 4 main types of damages?

Today, we're looking into four types of damages you may be able to receive in a breach of contract case.
  • Compensatory damages. ...
  • Punitive damages. ...
  • Nominal damages. ...
  • Liquidated damages.

What damages can be recovered?

Below are common examples of economic damages:
  • Current, past and future medical bills.
  • Lost Wages.
  • Loss of future earning capacity and job opportunities.
  • Property damage/ loss of property.
  • Cost for the repairs of the damaged property.

What is the most money awarded in a lawsuit?

This lawsuit resulted in a record-breaking settlement of $206 billion, paid by major tobacco companies to 46 US states to cover public health-care costs related to tobacco-induced illnesses. It remains the most substantial legal settlement to date as of 2023.

Is emotional distress compensatory damages?

Emotional distress damages are a subset of what are commonly called “compensatory damages.”

What type of compensatory damages will pay?

Compensatory damages are designed to compensate plaintiffs for the actual losses they've experienced. This type of award can be to reimburse them for medical treatments, medical bills, or any future expenses they may have due to an injury they sustained due to the negligence of another person or entity.