Unlike some other states, Connecticut does not have a “cap” to the economic or non-economic damages that a jury can award. There are no laws or regulations that set a specific amount of compensation that you can receive except in a worker’s compensation claim. Generally, a judge tells a jury that the amount of compensation should be “fair, just, and reasonable” for the nature, extent, and duration of the injuries the person suffered. The judge will also explain that there are two components of money damages that can be considered: economic and non-economic. Economic damages are those things like medical bills and wage loss. In essence out-of-pocket monetary losses, past and future. The judge will also explain that just as important are “non-economic damages,” which are awarded for non-monetary losses like pain and suffering, disability, loss of enjoyment of activities, scarring and disfigurement, and the like, past and future. Non-economic damages are very important because these are the losses that make you “you.” Thus, if your lawsuit cannot be settled, the amount that you will receive will be decided by a jury.
Connecticut does, however, limit the amount of punitive damages a person can receive. Unlike “economic” and “non-economic damages,” which are designed to make a person “whole,” punitive damages are designed to punish the Defendant and deter conduct. In Connecticut, punitive damages are typically capped at attorney’s fees and non-taxable costs, or in a product liability claim, two times the compensatory damages, Connecticut General Statutes § 52-240b; and in some other types of claims such as reckless driving, 2-3x the damages award, Connecticut General Statutes § 14-295.
Depending on the particular case, other forms of additional compensation can be obtained, including pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, offer of compromise interest, and taxable costs. Whether and to what extent these additional forms of compensation are available to you are things we can discuss further when we talk about your case.