Pecuniary & Non-Pecuniary Damages in Personal-Injury Traffic Accidents 

1) Legal Basis & Framework

• TCO Art. 54: Pecuniary heads — medical costs, loss of earnings, loss of earning capacity, future economic loss, assistive devices/care.
• TCO Art. 56: Non-pecuniary (moral) compensation for impairment of physical/mental integrity.
• TCO Art. 72: Limitation — 2 years from knowledge of damage and tortfeasor, 10 years absolute; if the act is a crime, the longer criminal limitation applies.
• Liability typically involves driver, operator/owner, and the compulsory traffic insurer (within policy limits); exceptional recourse to the Guarantee Fund.

2) Pecuniary Damages (Heads & Method)

• Medical: surgery, hospitalization, rehab, meds, psychotherapy.
• Temporary incapacity: earnings lost during recovery.
• Permanent disability: actuarial valuation of loss of earning capacity based on medical impairment.
• Care needs: temporary/permanent nursing or assistance.
• Prosthetics/Aids: orthotics, wheelchair, vehicle/home adaptations.
• Ancillary: transport, accommodation, companion expenses.
  Method: Determine net income → apply growth/discount and mortality tables → adjust for contributory negligence (seatbelt, helmet, speed) → account for policy limits; social-security benefits generally do not extinguish civil claims but may interact on set-off.

3) Non-Pecuniary (Moral) Damages

Assessed on equity considering injury severity, lasting effects, fault apportionment, and parties’ circumstances; purpose is to restore moral equilibrium, not to punish.

4) Who to Sue

• Driver + operator/owner (often joint and several).
• Insurer within policy limits (interest commonly from insurer default/application date).
• Guarantee Fund in uninsured/exceptional scenarios.

5) Evidence & Procedure — Action Plan

1. Obtain the criminal file (accident report, fault expertises, statements).
2. Compile medical records and a health board report for disability.
3. Prove income (payroll/tax filings/contracts).
4. Preserve expense receipts (medical/transport/lodging/companion).
5. File with insurer enclosing the dossier; wait 15 days for response.
6. Commission an actuarial report.
7. File suit against insurer + driver/operator; set interest start appropriately.
8. Update claims as treatment evolves (interim payments/claim increase).

6) Common Pitfalls & Tips

• Unsubstantiated expenses → document every item.
• No numbers/over-reliance on equity → actuarial quantification is key.
• Missing limitation monitoring → check criminal-law limitation as well.
• Ignoring contributory-negligence defenses → prepare technical rebuttals.

7) Skeleton Pleading (Concise)

• Parties/policy/accident data
• Facts & fault
• Pecuniary table (loss items, interest, costs)
• Non-pecuniary claim (impact/severity)
• Legal grounds (TCO 54–56; liability)
• Evidence list
• Prayer for relief

FAQs

Are psychotherapy costs recoverable? Yes, if causally linked to the accident.
Do social-security payments bar civil claims? Generally no; case-specific set-off rules may apply.
Do scars/disfigurement matter? Yes—considered in non-pecuniary awards and, if affecting earning capacity, in pecuniary loss.

Disclaimer: This is informational, not legal advice. For tailored strategy, consult counsel. Türeli & Ceylan provides end-to-end representation from insurer filing to enforcement.