How do economic damages differ from non-economic damages?

The distinction between economic and non-economic damages is critical in tort law, particularly in personal injury cases. Economic damages refer to tangible losses that can be quantified and calculated. These include objective costs such as medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and other financial losses directly resulting from an injury or wrongful act. Because these damages are based on actual monetary expenses and lost income, they can be calculated with relative precision using invoices, pay stubs, and other financial records.

In contrast, non-economic damages pertain to intangible losses that are subjective and harder to quantify. These include damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and other personal harms that do not have a direct monetary value assigned to them. For instance, while you can calculate the cost of medical treatment (economic damage), the emotional pain resulting from an injury is more abstract and varies greatly among individuals (non-economic damage).

This distinction emphasizes that while economic damages represent clear financial impacts, non-economic damages capture the personal and emotional toll of injuries, which may not have a straightforward numerical evaluation. Thus, the provided answer accurately reflects this key principle in tort law.