What are economic vs non-economic damages?

Economic damages are quantifiable financial losses — medical expenses past and future, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, replacement services, and out-of-pocket costs. They're proven with bills, records, and expert testimony on future costs.

Non-economic damages cover pain, suffering, mental anguish, inconvenience, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. No receipts exist; they're assigned by the jury.

Why the distinction matters in Florida. Non-economic damages in a motor vehicle case generally require meeting the serious injury threshold — permanent injury, significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, significant and permanent scarring, or death. Economic damages aren't subject to that same requirement.

So a person with real bills but no permanency may recover economic losses and nothing for pain and suffering. That surprises people and it's a common outcome in soft tissue cases.

Both are reduced by any comparative fault allocation.