With drunk driving accidents, and in all injury cases, there are categories of damages (compensable losses) that include compensatory damages, which are a combination of economic damages and noneconomic damages.
Economic damages are those that have a clear monetary value: medical bills, lost wages, property damage of a car, over-the-counter medications, mileage going to and from the attorney’s office, and mileage to and from the doctor’s office. Noneconomic damages are forms of compensation for physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anxiety, inconvenience, loss of enjoyment of life, and other intangible losses.