What are general damages typically awarded for?

General damages are typically awarded for non-monetary losses that cannot easily be quantified in terms of a specific dollar amount. This includes elements such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life, which represent the adverse impact an injury or incident has on an individual's quality of life. Unlike specific damages, which compensate for quantifiable financial losses such as medical expenses or lost income, general damages aim to address the broader effects on a person's life and wellbeing due to an injury. These compensations reflect the idea that some damages, while deeply felt, do not lend themselves to straightforward calculations, hence necessitating a different classification of damages that encapsulates the emotional and psychological impact of an incident.