The damages available to plaintiffs in a personal injury lawsuit are much more significant than those awarded in a workers' comp claim. A personal injury lawsuit is designed to make the plaintiff "whole" again. When a person is injured in an accident that wasn't their fault, they can recover the following damages through a personal injury lawsuit: medical bills, including the cost of future care, total lost wages, future lost wages, if applicable, pain and suffering damages, loss of companionship damages (for family members of the injured), punitive damages, and more.