Economic damages: the documented, countable losses
Economic damages are the straightforward, receipt-backed part of a claim. In a DC personal injury case, this generally includes medical expenses already incurred, lost wages from time away from work, property damage, and reasonably anticipated future medical care or lost earning capacity tied directly to the injury.
Non-economic damages: the subjective losses
Non-economic damages cover the losses that don't come with a receipt: physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. These are inherently harder to quantify, which is exactly why the multiplier method exists — to translate a documented economic figure into a reasoned estimate of the non-economic side.
Why the distinction still matters, even with no cap
In a state that caps non-economic damages, this split decides what's limited and what isn't. DC's economic damages statute removes that particular stake — neither category is capped, even in medical malpractice. But the distinction still matters practically: the multiplier method is applied to your economic damages total specifically, so an incomplete economic tally still understates the entire claim, not just that one category.
Fault treats both categories the same way
Unlike the damages-cap question, DC's contributory negligence rule doesn't distinguish between economic and non-economic damages at all. If your fault bars the claim, it bars recovery of both categories together — there's no partial exception that lets economic damages through while non-economic damages are barred, or vice versa.
Future costs count too
Anticipated future medical treatment tied to the injury — a planned surgery, ongoing physical therapy, or expected lost earning capacity — is generally treated as an economic damage alongside expenses already paid, provided it's reasonably supported by medical documentation.