If your car accident injuries prevent you from working, you may be able to recover lost wages or lost future income. When a car accident leaves a plaintiff with serious injuries, that person will need medical attention. Their medical treatment may lead to significant hospital bills and other related medical expenses, such as those resulting from a brain injury or other significant injury.  These expenses can be a huge burden on the injured party and their family and you should be compensated for those losses. This includes wrongful death caused by an accident. If you will require physical therapy or rehabilitative medical treatment, you can seek to be compensated for these future costs. Examples of non-economic damages include: Pain and suffering caused by the trauma of the injuries. If the accident has left you with a permanent injury such as permanent disability or disfigurement, you can seek compensation for the emotional injuries connected with these losses. If a car accident causes the death of a loved one, a family member can seek damages for loss of companionship, or loss of consortium.   In some cases, accident victims may also be able to seek punitive damages. Punitive damages are intended to punish a defendant for a particularly egregious act and to deter such conduct in the future. These might arise in cases, for instance, where a product defect caused a car accident, and the plaintiff is seeking punitive damages from the manufacturer.