Prejudgment interest in Texas represents the compensation awarded to a plaintiff to account for the loss of the use of money during the period between the accrual of a claim and the date of judgment. This calculation, when applied in a Texas court case, involves determining the applicable interest rate and the timeframe for which the interest accrues. Numerical tools and resources exist to assist in performing this computation. These tools typically require input of the principal amount, the date the claim accrued, and the date of judgment to accurately determine the total prejudgment interest due.
The assessment of this type of financial compensation serves to ensure that prevailing parties are fully compensated for their losses, preventing defendants from benefiting from delaying resolution. Historically, prejudgment interest aims to make the claimant whole by recognizing the time value of money. Its implementation encourages prompt settlement negotiations and discourages dilatory tactics in litigation.