When Do Punitive Damages Apply in a Personal Injury Case?

You may have heard the term personal injury damages. Well, what are damages in a personal injury case? In Georgia, there are generally three types. You have lost wages, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. Sometimes in limited circumstances, there’s a fourth item of damages called punitive damages. Those are damages that are designed to punish somebody for bad behavior. If that person or business has a conscious disregard for the consequences, then that’s when punitive damages come into play. The most common example of this in a car wreck case would be if somebody’s driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or if they are hit and run, they flee the scene after a wreck.