Even if you took it for a short period, an unreasonably dangerous or defective medical product could cause physical, psychological, and financial harm that lasts a lifetime. Fortunately, you may be able to hold the manufacturing company responsible for your losses. However, the specific damages available to one person may not be available to another.
Understanding recoverable damages in Houston dangerous drug claims is much easier with guidance from a legal representative. That said, state laws may limit the total compensation available to you under particular circumstances, so reach out to a dedicated dangerous drugs lawyer at Roberts Markland LLP to learn more.
“Economic” damages are losses with objective financial values that can be proven with quantitative evidence. These losses include bills, receipts, and purchase records. In Houston dangerous medication claims, the bulk of economic damages typically takes the form of medical expenses for treatment related to a hazardous drug injury, including short-term bills already paid at the time of filing and estimated costs of future medical or rehabilitative care.
Various out-of-pocket expenses related to medical care caused by a defective drug’s effects, like travel costs for trips to and from doctors’ appointments, may also be compensable. Finally, if a hazardous medication leaves you unable to work, courts can calculate lost wages and diminished future earning capacity into your civil claim.
Non-economic damages are subjective losses that courts must value based on qualitative evidence like journal or diary entries, input from medical experts, testimony from family and friends, and personal reports. These are sometimes referred to as “pain and suffering” damages since physical pain and anguish is the most common non-economic loss included in personal injury claims.
Other common non-economic damages that may be recoverable in dangerous drug claims in Houston include emotional and psychological trauma, lost consortium, and lost enjoyment or quality of life. Like monetary damages, legal representatives can demand past and future non-monetary losses related to a dangerous drug on your behalf.
If a court finds that a defendant drug manufacturer engaged in egregiously negligent or overtly malicious conduct, the court may impose additional punitive damages against them and award them to you as a means of punishing the defendant’s actions.
However, state law caps these damages at the greater of $200,000 or twice the value of economic and non-economic damages combined, provided that the total does not exceed $750,000. A skilled attorney in Houston could work to get you the maximum compensation possible for your dangerous drug injuries by demanding punitive damages.
Recovery from harm inflicted by a defective or dangerous medicine is often a matter of minimizing long-term damages rather than entirely erasing them. That said, getting fair restitution from pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and sell dangerous products can be vital to preserving your financial stability. Likewise, these payments could help you receive the proper medical care to heal from the harm you suffered.
Assistance from a qualified legal professional can make a world of difference if you want to maximize damages in a Houston dangerous drug claim. Call us at Roberts Markland LLP today for a consultation.
