How Much Is My Illinois Car Accident Claim Worth?
You’ve been in a car accident in Southern Illinois, you’re hurt, and you need help. If your suffered injuries through no fault of your own, you deserve damages for your losses. The financial assistance should pay for your current and future medical bills and any repairs on your vehicle.
One question we’ve seen most of our clients ask us is about the worth of their Illinois car accident claim. You may also be wondering how much compensation you can expect to recover following your injuries. That’s why you need an experienced personal injury law firm to help you assess your case and arrive at a personalized answer.
What Factors Determine the Value of My Injury Claim?
The value of your car accident claim is going to hinge on the total damages you’ve suffered. Besides, the total amount may not be exactly how much the accident cost you – it could be lower or higher.
Once the investigators determine that another party was at fault for causing your car accident, you qualify for compensation. But the amount will vary based off of various factors, and other factors that can arise from a deposition or a court case. Here’s a breakdown of these factors:
Economic Damages
Calculating how much your car accident claim is worth needs an assessment of the total economic damages incurred due to the accident. These are perhaps the easiest to prove in any motor vehicle accident.
You should retain copies of all repair invoices, medical bills, and any receipts related to the car accident. If someone acted negligently and caused a car accident with your vehicle, they are liable for all medical expenses you’ll incur. This includes ambulance fees, hospital bills, and adaptive medical devices related to that specific accident.
Future Medical Bills and Fees
Some car accident injuries last for long periods and require continuous medical attention. The costs could be in terms of pain management therapies, transportation to your doctor, physical therapy, rehab, multiple surgeries, and medicine.
Such costs can significantly increase the value of your claim. But remember, you are owed these amounts because you didn’t cause the accident.
Lost Income
A car accident can cause severe injuries that may prevent you from working or driving for some time. You may even develop a permanent impairment that may prevent you from working again in the future. Your claim should include any wages you were unable to earn due to the accident.
If your injuries are permanent, you should be compensated 100 percent of your lost wages. If your ability to work is reduced, you should receive the difference between what you previously earned and what you now earn after the injury.
Loss of Limbs Claims
Hopefully, you don’t have to ask for these amounts. But if you lose your limbs in an accident, you deserve compensation. For instance, if you lose a foot and a thumb, the compensation amounts are set at $74,418 and $29,767, respectively.
Death
No amount can replace a life that’s been lost in a car accident. But when death occurs in any type of claim, whether workers’ comp, medical malpractice, or car accident, the amount will always be near the $1,000,000 mark. If a claim involves a death, the family could recover this amount.
Economic Distress
Some mental injuries like anxiety, insomnia, depression, and PTSD sometimes can show up as a result of your injuries. You can also pursue compensation for these losses.
Pain and Suffering
If a plaintiff suffered physical pain and mental anguish due to the accident, they could receive pain and suffering damages. These are non-economic and non-tangible injuries that are often difficult to prove. Your personal injury lawyer in Mt. Vernon, IL, will use these to prove your pain and suffering: doctor’s prognosis, photographs showing the severity of the injuries, recurring cost of physical therapy, impact of the accident on the victim’s quality of life, mental health records, etc.
Some insurance companies use a number called the “pain multiplier” (a number between 1 and 5) to estimate these damages. Your Mt. Vernon personal injury lawyer may call on expert witnesses to justify such damages.
Damage to Vehicle
You may recover any repair and replacement costs for your damaged car, including if your vehicle was totaled. A skilled car accident attorney in Southern Illinois will help you gather evidence necessary to prove the extent of your car damage.
Punitive Damages
Although rare, a jury may award an Illinois accident victim punitive damages as a way of punishing a defendant’s behavior and wrongdoing. This is often granted, especially if the defendant was engaged in criminal activity at the time of the accident.
What Other Factors Might Affect My Claim’s Value?
Two other factors affect the value of an Illinois car accident claim.
Comparative Negligence Laws
Illinois upholds a comparative negligence statute. This means, if you were partially to blame for the accident, your damages could be reduced by the percentage of fault you bear. You may still recover compensation as long as your at-fault percentage is less than 50%.
For instance, if you suffered $100,000 in damages, and you were 30% at fault, you would expect to receive about $70,000. This contributory fault concept affects all car crashes in Illinois.
Insurance Limits
The defendant’s insurance company will most likely be the one covering your costs and losses in your Illinois PI claim. But they can only pay up to their insurance limits.
A Legal Counsel Protecting Your Best Interests
Getting sufficient compensation from a car accident is crucial so that you can move on with your life, knowing your medical needs are well taken care of. Unfortunately, claims adjusters sometimes try to argue that you were at fault or that they are not obligated to compensate you. That’s why you need a legal professional to guide you and help you recover your losses.
You don’t want to accept anything less than what you deserve. An injury attorney will protect your rights and best interests. Talk to the experienced car accident lawyers at Olson & Reeves to determine your case’s worth. Call (618) 316-7322 for a free consultation.