Evaluating human life using court decisions on damages for pain and suffering

Andrea Leiter, Magdalena Thöni and Hannes Winner

This paper provides a framework to evaluate human life based on civil court decisions on damages for pain and suffering. Using judgements from Germany and Austria over the last 25 years, we calculate an average Value of Damages for Pain and Suffering (VDPS) of about EUR 1.79 millions, with a minimum (maximum) of around EUR 0.67 (4.62) millions. Our approach also allows to calculate the value of body parts and body functions, which might be of interest if information on the benefit of an individual’s change in life quality is not (entirely) available. -- Pain and suffering ; Value of Statistical Life (VSL) ; Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY) ; tort law

MoreLess

Year of publication:	2010
Authors:	Leiter, Andrea M. ; Thöni, Magdalena ; Winner, Hannes
Publisher:	Salzburg : Univ., SOWI
Subject:	Wert des Menschenlebens \| Value of life \| Rechtsprechung \| Court decisions \| Haftung \| Liability \| Deutschland \| Germany \| Österreich \| Austria \| 1980-2004

freely available

Full text |

More access options

Check Google Scholar

In German libraries (KVK)

I need help

Extent:	Online-Ressource (22 S.) graph. Darst.
Series:	University of Salzburg working papers in economics and finance. - Salzburg : SOWI, ZDB-ID 2708885-6. - Vol. 2010-11
Type of publication:	Book / Working Paper
Type of publication (narrower categories):	Arbeitspapier ; Working Paper ; Graue Literatur ; Non-commercial literature
Language:	English
Notes:	Systemvoraussetzungen: Acrobat Reader
Other identifiers:	hdl:10419/71851 [Handle]
Classification:	I10 - Health. General ; J17 - Value of Life; Foregone Income ; K13 - Tort Law and Product Liability
Source:	ECONIS - Online Catalogue of the ZBW

Persistent link: https://www.econbiz.de/10009731775