Alright, let’s get this straight. You wanna know about them psychology bills, right? Whether they’re some kinda “special” damages or just plain ol’ “general” ones. Sounds fancy, but lemme tell ya, it ain’t that complicated.
What are these damages anyway?
See, when someone gets hurt, like, really hurt, it ain’t just about a broken arm or a banged-up knee. Sometimes, the hurt goes deeper, you know? It messes with your head, makes you anxious, can’t sleep, can’t think straight. That’s what them psychology bills are for – fixin’ the inside hurt.
Now, the law folks, they got their own way of talkin’ about this stuff. They split the hurt into two piles: “general damages” and “special damages”.
- General damages are for the stuff that’s hard to put a price tag on. Like, how much is a good night’s sleep worth? Or not havin’ nightmares all the time? It’s the pain, the sufferin’, the worryin’… all that stuff you can’t just slap a dollar amount on.
- Special damages, on the other hand, them’s the easy ones. Doctor bills? Yep, that’s special. Lost wages ’cause you couldn’t work? Special too. Anything you can show a receipt for, that’s special damage. It’s the money you actually lost, plain and simple.
So, where do psychology bills fit in?
Well, that’s where it gets a bit tricky. You see, psychology bills, they’re bills, right? You get ’em in the mail, just like any other doctor bill. So, you’d think, easy peasy, special damages. But hold your horses.
The thing is, them psychology bills are for fixin’ the hurt you can’t see. They’re for the emotional distress, the anxiety, the depression… all that stuff that falls under “general damages”. So, some folks might say, “Hey, that’s general damage, not special!”
What the Courts Say
Now, I ain’t no lawyer, but from what I gather, it kinda depends. If you got a therapist bill for dealin’ with the trauma after a car wreck, well, that’s a bill you wouldn’t have if the wreck hadn’t happened, right? So, that could be considered a special damage, ’cause it’s a direct financial loss from that wreck.
But what if the wreck gave you nightmares for years, and you needed therapy way down the road? Is that still a direct result? Maybe, maybe not. That’s where things get fuzzy. Some courts might say it’s part of your general pain and suffering. Others might still call it a special damage if your therapist can directly link it back to the accident. It’s a whole heap of “he said, she said” if you ask me.
Why does it matter anyway?
You might be thinkin’, “Who cares what they call it, a bill’s a bill!” But it matters, trust me. See, with special damages, you gotta show proof. You gotta have them bills, them receipts, all lined up. And you gotta show how they’re directly related to the injury.
With general damages, it’s more about convincin’ the jury. You gotta tell your story, let them see how much you’ve suffered. And that can be tough, ’cause how do you put a price on feelin’ scared all the time?
What about punitive damages?
Now, there’s another type of damage they sometimes talk about – punitive damages. Them ain’t about compensatin’ you for your hurt; them’s about punishin’ the person who hurt ya. Like, if someone was drunk drivin’ and caused the wreck, the court might make ’em pay extra, just to teach ’em a lesson. But that’s a whole different story, and it doesn’t really change whether your psychology bills are special or general. It just might mean you get a little more on top to make things right.
Bottom Line?
So, are psychology bills special damages or general damages? Well, like I said, it ain’t always clear-cut. Sometimes they’re special, sometimes they’re part of the general pain and sufferin’. It depends on the situation, on the proof you got, and on what the judge or jury decides. But one thing’s for sure: if you’re hurtin’, inside or out, you deserve to get it fixed, and the person who caused the hurt should be the one payin’ for it. That’s just common sense, if you ask me.
And if you’re goin’ through somethin’ like this, get yourself a good lawyer, one who knows their stuff. They can figure out this “special” and “general” damage mumbo jumbo and make sure you get what you deserve. Don’t try to do it alone, that’s for sure. That’s what I always tell my grandkids.
