Special damages cover which of the following?

• A. Out-of-pocket expenses such as taxi costs, use of special equipment, and home health care not covered under actual damages
• B. Pain and suffering included in actual damages
• C. Punitive damages awarded by the court
• D. Future earnings loss not yet incurred

Answer: (A)

Special damages are the monetary losses you can prove with receipts and records, representing economic costs tied to the injury. They include out-of-pocket expenses like taxi fares for getting to medical appointments, costs for specialized equipment, and home health care services that aren’t covered by insurance. These are concrete, documentable amounts that can be added up to compensate for the actual financial impact of the injury.

Pain and suffering, by contrast, is a non-economic harm and falls under general damages, not special damages. Punitive damages are separate from compensatory damages and are intended to punish the defendant rather than reimburse actual financial losses. Future earnings losses can be recoverable under certain circumstances, but the example given focuses on current, documentable expenses, which is the hallmark of special damages.