If you’ve been injured in an accident in Illinois, you might be wondering how much your case is worth. Every personal injury claim in Geneva is unique; the value of your case depends on the damages you’ve suffered, the evidence supporting your claim, and the legal strategies used to pursue compensation.
Factors that Influence the Value of Your Claim
No two personal injury cases are alike. The value of your personal injury case will depend on the damages you suffer and other circumstances unique to you.
However, there are general factors that will impact your case’s worth, including:
- The severity of your injuries
- The extent of your medical bills
- Whether you will require future care
- Whether you lost wages or suffered a reduced earning potential
- The pain and suffering you endured
- Available insurance coverages
- Whether you share fault for the accident
- The strength of your evidence
An experienced attorney can help you evaluate these factors and estimate the value of your losses. They can even work with experts in medicine, finance, and other disciplines to help assess your damages.
What Damages Can You Recover After an Accident?
In Illinois, personal injury victims may be entitled to recover economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages cover your measurable financial losses, such as:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Costs for rehabilitation, therapy, or in-home care
- Property damage, such as repairs to your vehicle
Non-economic damages compensate you for losses that don’t have a direct dollar amount but still impact you personally or psychologically. They include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress or mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement or disability
If you lost a loved one in an accident, wrongful death damages may be available to cover funeral expenses and loss of support/companionship.
Contributory Fault in Personal Injury Cases
Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If you share fault for your accident, your percentage of blame will directly impact the value of your case.
Under this rule, you can still recover compensation even if you’re partially at fault for the accident, as long as you are less than 50% responsible. However, your damages will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
For example, if your total damages are $200,000 but you are found 20% at fault, you can still recover $160,000. But if you’re 50% or more at fault, you cannot recover damages at all.
How an Attorney Can Help You Get the Most Compensation from Your Claim
Hiring a skilled Illinois personal injury lawyer can dramatically improve the outcome of your case. Studies have shown that accident victims who hire an attorney recover up to 3.5 times more compensation than those who handle claims on their own.
An experienced attorney can help you:
- Investigate your accident, identify liable parties, and gather critical evidence of fault
- Calculate your total damages, including future costs you might not anticipate
- Work with medical experts to fully document your injuries and prognosis
- Negotiate aggressively with insurance companies for a fair settlement
- Take your case to trial if necessary to fight for maximum compensation
If you’ve been injured in an accident, speak with an experienced Geneva personal injury attorney to learn how much your case could be worth. Feagans Law Group offers free consultations.