If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Illinois, you have the right to seek compensation for the immediate financial costs and for how the crash has affected your daily life. These losses typically fall into two categories: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages: Covering the Financial Impact
Economic damages are the tangible, out-of-pocket expenses tied directly to the accident. The most common of these are medical bills — from emergency room visits and hospital stays to surgery, medication, physical therapy, and any ongoing or future treatment tied to your recovery. This is a key factor as to why your attorney should encourage immediate and ongoing medical care after a car accident, even if you feel fine.
If your injuries forced you to miss work, you can also claim compensation for lost wages. In more serious cases, where you’re unable to return to your job or have to switch careers due to physical limitations, your future earning potential may also be factored in.
Another key part of economic compensation includes vehicle and property damage. Whether your car was totaled or just needed repairs, or if personal belongings (like a phone or laptop) were damaged in the crash, you’re entitled to reimbursement for those losses.
Non-Economic Damages: Compensating for the Personal Toll
Some of the most painful consequences of a car accident aren’t financial — they’re personal. That’s where non-economic damages come in. Due to the personal nature of non-economic damages, an experience attorney is needed to help build your claim.
You may be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, which accounts for the physical pain and emotional trauma resulting from the crash. Many injury victims also experience anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress — especially if the crash was severe.
In addition, if your injuries prevent you from engaging in daily activities or hobbies you once enjoyed, you can seek damages for loss of normal life. This includes the inability to exercise, travel, play with your kids, or move without pain.
Other types of personal damages can include disfigurement or permanent scarring, and in some cases, loss of consortium — when the accident has impacted your relationship with your spouse through reduced emotional or physical support.
What Else Affects Your Compensation?
Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence system, meaning your compensation can be reduced if you’re found to be partly at fault for the accident. For example, if you’re 20% responsible, you would receive 80% of the total compensation.
It’s also worth noting that Illinois drivers are only required to carry minimum liability coverage. In serious accidents, these limits may not cover all of your losses. If that happens, your underinsured motorist coverage could help bridge the gap, and our team can help you access that compensation.
You may also be eligible for punitive damages to punish egregious behavior and deter future misconduct. Punitive damages may be awarded if the other party’s conduct was intentional, wilful, and wanton. Punitive damages in car accidents can be quite rare.
Let Us Help You Recover Everything You’re Owed
At the Illinois Hammer Injury Law Firm, we don’t just focus on the basics for calculating your potential compensation, we dig deep to ensure your claim reflects everything you’ve lost. We’ve won over $500M for our clients and are ready to help you. If you’ve been injured, contact us for a free consultation. We’ll help you fight for the full and fair compensation you deserve.
