There are two main categories:
a. Compensatory Damages: These cover actual losses, like medical bills, and can be split into:
- Economic Damages: Clear costs such as property repairs and medical bills.
- Non-Economic Damages: Intangible effects like physical pain or emotional distress.
b. Punitive Damages: Not meant to compensate you, but rather to punish extremely reckless actions by the other party. They’re less common and may be limited by state guidelines.