Understanding Pain & Suffering Damages The law assigns a value to your pain and suffering to determine how much your injuries are worth in monetary terms. This is called “pain and suffering damages.” The law also assigns a value to your lost wages and medical bills. These are called “economic damages.” In addition to these two damages, you may receive compensation for other losses if the same injury caused them. These include loss of consortium (i.e., loss of the love, affection and companionship of your spouse) or loss of enjoyment of life (i.e., loss of recreational activities). All these losses are considered “non-economic” damages. All three types of damages must be determined by a jury; a judge or court clerk […]