What are the damages recoverable in a personal injury case?
In Minnesota, damages that can be recovered in a personal injury case are compensatory damages. Compensatory damages are meant to reimburse the injured party for losses stemming from the incident that led to the injury. This includes both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages refer to losses which can be easily calculated, such as medical bills, lost wages, and repairs to property. Non-economic damages do not involve any money lost and are meant to compensate for non-monetary losses, such as pain and suffering or emotional distress resulting from the accident. The state of Minnesota has placed a limit on the amount of non-economic damages that can be recovered in a personal injury case. This limit is currently set at $500,000 or three times the total economic damages, whichever is greater. This limit applies to single person or entity, so that multiple people or entities may be awarded more than $500,000 if the total value of their losses exceeds that amount. In addition to compensatory damages, punitive damages may also be awarded in a personal injury case in Minnesota. Punitive damages are meant to punish the defendant for their wrongful actions and are awarded in addition to compensatory damages. However, punitive damages are rare and will only be awarded in extreme cases.
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