Encinitas, CA personal injury attorney Michael Padilla talks about the damages you can recover in a car accident case. The damages recoverable in a car accident case are categorized in two ways under California civil procedure: non-economic and economic losses. Non-economic damages, commonly referred to as pain and suffering, encompass much more than just physical pain. They include factors such as compromised quality of life, physical impairment, inconvenience, annoyance, anxiety, emotional distress, and mental distress. These elements are detailed in the jury instructions when the case goes to trial.

Conversely, economic losses consist of medical bills—both past and future—as well as wage loss or earnings loss, also covering past and future periods. It is crucial to prepare and quantify these losses, especially future losses, which hold significant weight in major cases. Expert witnesses are typically needed to analyze the client’s earnings history and performance to project the earnings loss over the client’s remaining work life.