Economic damages in university negligence claims can greatly affect the results of these cases.

So, what are economic damages?

They are the financial losses you can measure, like:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages from work
• Costs for rehabilitation

On the other hand, non-economic damages are about feelings. They include things like:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of companionship

How They Affect Outcomes:

1. Clear Evidence:

   • Economic damages are based on hard numbers, making them easier to prove with things like receipts and wage statements.
   • Juries usually like to see clear amounts. For example, about 55% of jurors say they rely more on economic damages when deciding how much money to award (American Bar Association).

2. Size of Awards:

   • The National Center for State Courts found that people who can show strong economic losses usually get 2 to 3 times more money than those who focus mainly on non-economic losses.
   • In cases of university negligence, successful claims often showed economic damages of $100,000 or more, which helped convince juries.

3. Effect on Settlements:

   • When economic damages are higher, it's more likely that the case will settle well. According to the Civil Justice Resource Group, 70% of claims over $50,000 in economic damages settle before going to trial.

Conclusion:

Understanding the difference between economic and non-economic damages in university negligence claims is really important. Economic damages provide a clearer way to calculate compensation and also help with how juries view the case. This can influence both jury decisions and how settlements are negotiated, which in turn affects the outcomes in court cases.