Car Accident Lawyer in Ocala, Florida

When an injury prevents you from working either temporarily or permanently, you may recover compensation for those lost earnings. In Florida, lost wages refer to the income you would have earned but for the injury (e.g., salary, bonuses, commissions) and loss of earning capacity refers to your diminished ability to earn in the future because of permanent limitations or disability.

For example, if you are unable to return to your former job or must accept lower pay because of your injuries, you may claim the difference in earnings. These calculations often require vocational experts or economists. Documenting your employment history, pay stubs, promotion prospects, and future job capacity is critical.

In many Florida personal injury cases — especially motor vehicle accidents — property damage is part of the recoverable compensation. This includes costs to repair or replace your vehicle, damaged personal belongings, or other property loss caused directly by the accident. 

While property damage is often handled by itself (via auto insurance or separate claims), including it in your overall damage portfolio helps reinforce the total losses you suffered. Evidence such as repair bills, replacement cost estimates, photographs of damage, and vehicle valuations strengthen the claim.

This is a major component of non-economic damages in Florida. Pain and suffering compensation covers the physical pain and discomfort you endure because of your injuries — both short-term and long-term — and is often one of the largest portions of a personal injury recovery. 
Because pain and suffering are subjective, attorneys and courts evaluate factors such as the nature and severity of the injury, required treatment, impact on daily life, permanency of the condition, and recovery time. Some Florida sources reference a “multiplier method” (multiplying economic damages by a factor based on severity) to estimate pain and suffering.

In Florida no fixed cap applies to general non-economic damages in most personal injury claims (outside certain medical malpractice statutes), so demonstrating severity can increase the value substantially.

Another form of non-economic damage, emotional distress covers the psychological and emotional impact of the injury — such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, loss of enjoyment of life, and other mental anguish. 
In Florida personal injury cases, you may recover emotional distress damages when you can show that the injury caused a mental or emotional reaction beyond typical upset. Documentation from mental-health professionals, therapy records, and testimony about changes in mood or behavior strengthen this claim. Including emotional distress acknowledges that the harm goes beyond physical injury and affects one’s quality of life.

When an injury leads to long-term or permanent impairment, loss of bodily function, scarring, disfigurement, or loss of use of a limb or organ, you may recover additional compensation under Florida law for those consequences. This falls under non-economic damages (though tied to economic impact) because the injury alters your life permanently. 

For example: severe burns, visible scars, amputations, paralysis, or brain/spinal injuries all warrant higher compensation due to permanence. Evidence includes medical records, specialist testimony, photos of disfigurement, vocational impact assessment, and life-care planning. Since permanence increases value, these cases require detailed preparation.