In practice, settlements typically reflect two buckets of damages:
- Economic losses: medical bills, prescriptions, follow-up visits, therapy, transportation to treatment, and lost wages.
- Non-economic losses: pain, emotional distress, loss of normal activities, and the long-term effect of scarring or sensitivity.
In The Dalles, many people are balancing injuries while returning to work in industries that can involve heat, flames, chemicals, or equipment—plus the everyday realities of commuting, caregiving, and rebuilding routines. That local “real life” matters because it influences the documentation that supports both present and future damages.


