Your final settlement amount will be a combination of both your economic and non-economic damages.
Financial compensation is an important concern when dealing with sexual harassment lawsuits in Oakland. Victims may be unable to work due to the harassment they have experienced. They may have been wrongfully terminated, causing them to miss weeks of wages. The trauma and anxiety may also affect their ability to work and earn a living, and they might even require extensive psychological treatment for their mental health issues. All of these factors make financial compensation a valid concern for victims.
Fortunately, you can work towards a fair, adequate settlement with the help of a qualified, experienced sexual harassment attorney in California. These legal professionals understand how important your settlement is, and they’ll help you strive for an amount that reflects the true extent of everything you’ve been forced to endure. It is not unheard of for victims to receive six-figure settlements for sexual harassment in California. But how much can you expect to receive?
How Settlements Are Calculated
Settlements are calculated by taking into account your economic and non-economic damages:
- Economic Damages: These damages represent the total of your financial losses due to your harassment. For example, you might have been wrongfully terminated for reporting your sexual harassment, and this might have resulted in weeks or months of missed wages. Perhaps you were too traumatized to attend work after your harassment. You can receive compensation for missed work in both of these scenarios. In addition, your harassment might have resulted in mental health issues that require treatment with a therapist. You can receive compensation for your psychological treatment as well.
Sad woman in shower; image by Meghan Hessler, via Unsplash.com. - Non-Economic Damages: Non-economic damages are incredibly important in sexual harassment lawsuits, as these damages represent the emotional and mental issues caused by your harassment. Victims can experience shame, embarrassment, humiliation, depression, anxiety, trauma, and all kinds of other issues. Some of these psychological effects can be permanent. You can receive compensation for these damages, although they are slightly more difficult to quantify compared to economic damages, as there is not a clear dollar amount attached to these abstract concepts.
Your Settlement Amount
Your final settlement amount will be a combination of both your economic and non-economic damages. Usually, your economic damages are multiplied by a “general damages” multiplier that represents your non-economic damages. For example, your economic damages might be $25,000, and you might be assigned a general damages multiplier of four. Therefore, your final settlement amount will be $100,000.
Enlist the Help of a Qualified Attorney Today
If you’re curious about how much your sexual harassment lawsuit is worth, it’s always best to get in touch with a qualified, experienced sexual harassment attorney. During your initial consultation (which is often free of charge), your attorney can listen carefully to your unique situation and determine how much your settlement might be worth. Remember, each case is unique, and settlement amounts can vary. The only way to know for sure is to start working with an attorney as soon as possible. Book your consultation today.
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