How Much Compensation Can I Get for a Car Crash in Illinois?

 Posted on November 08, 2021 in Auto Accidents

Being involved in a car wreck is not only frightening and traumatic, it can also lead to massive financial costs. An individual hurt in a car accident may require expensive medical care that lasts weeks, months, or years. They may also be unable to work during their recovery. Add the cost of repairing or replacing the vehicle involved in the crash, and a car accident can easily cost a family tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you or a loved one were involved in a serious auto collision, you may be entitled to compensation for financial and non-financial losses.   

Factors That Influence a Car Accident Claim Payout

The amount of money that you could recover in a car accident injury claim depends on many different factors, including:

• The severity of the injuries - The worse the injuries, the greater degree of medical care needed to address those injuries. Someone who suffered cuts and bruises will obviously not need as much medical treatment as someone who suffered catastrophic injuries. Therefore, car accident claim payouts are usually higher when the injured person suffers significant injuries or injuries resulting in long-term disability.

• The economic damages you suffered – Medical bills are often a large portion of an injured person’s losses. However, you may also be entitled to compensation for lost income and any harm to your earning capacity caused by the injuries. Compensation for vehicle damage and other property damage may also be available.

• The value of non-economic damages – Damages do not only include financial losses like vehicle repair costs and medical bills. Many personal injury plaintiffs are also entitled to compensation for non-financial harm, including their pain and suffering, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. There is no one way to calculate non-economic damages. Often, the value of an injured person’s non-financial damages is calculated using a multiplier method. The person’s medical bills are multiplied by a factor between 1.5 and 5 to find the value of non-economic damages.

• The injured person’s degree of fault for the crash – Car accident liability is rarely black and white. Often, more than one party’s actions contributed to the crash. If, for example, you were speeding at the time of the wreck, you may be considered partially at fault for the crash. The payout you could receive in this case would be reduced by your degree of fault.

• Settlement negotiations – Most car accident injury claims are settled with the insurance company before the case goes to trial. This is one reason that it is crucial to work with a personal injury attorney with good negotiation skills and ample personal injury experience.

Contact an Elmhurst Personal Injury Lawyer

The highly regarded Bensenville personal injury attorneys at Kaiser Law can help you build a compelling case for monetary damages after a car crash. Call our office today at 630-233-9946 to schedule a free consultation.

Source:

https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/circuit-court/illinois-pattern-jury-instructions-civil/