What exactly is “pain and suffering”? Is the personal injury you suffered in South Florida eligible to receive compensation for it? Let’s take a closer look at how Florida law defines pain and suffering and how it can impact your personal injury case.
In Florida personal injury law, there are two types of losses (also called damages) that are eligible for compensation from the party who caused the injury. The first of these is economic losses. These are quantifiable financial losses caused by your injuries. Some examples include bills for hospital and doctor visits, medication, rehabilitation, home medical equipment, etc.
Pain and suffering is the second type of loss. This includes physical pain, such as headaches and pain from broken bones, as well as emotional and psychological pain, such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment of life due to the injuries you sustained. These all have severe impacts on your quality of life, but cannot be easily quantified.
In the State of Florida, a personal injury must meet certain thresholds to qualify for compensation for pain and suffering. These include:
To prove that your personal injury meets these criteria and that your injury is causing substantial pain and suffering, your attorney will need to provide evidence to prove your case. This can include medical records, prescription medication records, expert opinions from medical doctors and mental health professionals, photographic evidence of your pre-injury life compared to your life now, as well as your own testimony and testimony from your loved ones.
Your attorney will then need to calculate a dollar value to correspond to your pain and suffering. Three of the factors that impact this include the severity of your injuries, how your injuries impact your daily life and quality of life, and your future prognosis.
There are several valuation methods that can be used to calculate the value of noneconomic injuries; one of the most popular is the multiplier method. In this approach, your attorney will take the value of your economic losses and multiply them 1.5-5 times, based on the criteria listed above. The opposing party will likely argue to reduce the value of your injuries so they have to pay less. Usually, these cases are resolved through intense negotiations between your attorney and the opposing party’s insurance company. In some cases, though, these cases go to trial and a jury will decide the compensation that you will receive for your injuries.
If you have been seriously injured due to someone else’s negligence, contact ECanter Lawyers right away. We provide free case evaluations to start you on the path to financial recovery for your injuries.
When you are dealing with the chaos and pain of accidents and personal injuries, the last thing you need is technical, confusing legal language. ECanter Lawyers breaks down the complexities and provides clear, informative answers so that you understand your legal options.
For a quarter of a century, ECanter Lawyers has remained committed to honest, straightforward answers. Named one of AVVO’s Clients’ Choice, ECanter Lawyers has helped clients receive multi-million-dollar verdicts, and millions of dollars in settlements. ECanter Lawyers specializes in personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, premises and product liability, and healthcare law.
With offices conveniently located throughout South Florida and 24/7 services, ECanter Lawyers personal injury law firm offers you the personalized attention that you need in order to maximize your compensation.
ECanter Lawyers
561-447-4500
Boca Raton | West Palm Beach | Coral Springs | Ft. Lauderdale | Miami
[1] The Florida Senate. Chapter 627 Section 737 – 2024 Florida Statutes. Accessed March 7, 2025.
Our South Florida personal injury law firm offers you the personalized attention that you need in order to maximize your compensation.. We’re available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Our firm operates on a contingency-fee basis, which means that you pay us nothing unless we make a recovery for you!
Don't hesitate to call us anytime; we want to know you and your family, how your legal issue is affecting you, and what we can do to help.
Named one of AVVO's Clients' Choice, Mr. Canter has helped his clients receive multi-million-dollar verdicts, and millions of dollars in settlements.
You will speak directly to a member of the team at ECanter Lawyers. Our Boca Raton attorneys want you to be as informed as possible with your own case, so ask us questions until you feel completely comfortable.
With over two decades of experience, Eric Canter has handled thousands of personal injury cases and we use that experience to maximize case results for all of clients.
Our South Florida personal injury law firm offers you the personalized attention that you need in order to maximize your compensation. We have offices conveniently located throughout South Florida in Boca Raton, Coral Springs, West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami, Florida, so we're never too far away from where you are. Our firm operates on a contingency-fee basis, which means that you pay us nothing unless we make a recovery for you.
We’re available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our firm operates on a contingency-fee basis, which means that you pay us nothing unless we make a recovery for you!
3335 NW Boca Raton Blvd.
Boca Raton, Florida 33431
Phone: (561) 447-4500
Office Time: 24 / 7
Disclaimer: The information throughout this south Florida personal injury lawyer website is not intended to be taken as legal advice. The information provided by ECanter Lawyers is intended to provide general information regarding injury and accident claims including car & truck accidents, medical malpractice lawsuits, premises liability claims, product liability, and workers’ compensation claims for South Florida residents. If you are interested in a free case review please contact our injury attorney, Eric Canter. We now serve the following locations: Palm Beach County including Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Greenacres, Lake Worth, Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, and West Palm Beach; Broward County including but not limited to Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Lighthouse Point, Margate, and Pompano Beach; and Miami-Dade County including Miami. © 2025 Copyright ECanter Lawyers. All Rights Reserved. We now serve the following locations: Palm Beach County including Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Greenacres, Lake Worth, Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, and West Palm Beach; Broward County including but not limited to Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Lighthouse Point, Margate, and Pompano Beach; and Miami-Dade County including Miami. Web Development by IWD Marketing
