If you were hurt in an accident in Chicago, you could be entitled to financial compensation from the negligent party. Financial compensation in an Illinois personal injury claim is known as damages. Typically, damages fall into two types: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are those with a distinct monetary value, such as medical bills and property repairs. Non-economic damages include non-monetary losses that can’t be easily translated to dollar figures (such as pain and suffering). An attorney can review the facts of your accident and costs involved to push for economic damages in your case.
What Are Economic Damages In Chicago, Illinois?
Economic damages are the actual costs and losses connected to an accident. Most personal injury cases will involve economic damages including medical expenses, lost wages, property repair costs, medications, and costs for follow-up therapy. Economic damages do not include pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of companionship, or punitive damages. If you’ve been injured in an accident, your Chicago personal injury lawyer will carefully calculate your total economic damages to present as part of an insurance claim or lawsuit.
There are several different types of economic damages you can claim as part of an Illinois personal injury claim. The types and amounts of damages can vary depending on the nature of the accident and injuries you suffered. Some common types of economic damages include:
Medical Bills
Medical expenses are an unfortunate consequence of any serious accident. Often, medical bills will make up the bulk of a plaintiff’s economic damages in a personal injury lawsuit. For these reasons, it is critical to collect proof of your medical costs and a running tally of your expenses.
Medical costs can include initial treatment at the emergency department, diagnostic appointments, follow-up visits, prescription costs, home medical equipment, therapy, surgery, and more. Your lawyer can evaluate all medical bills related to your injury to maximize your reimbursement for these losses.
Lost Wages and Income
Serious injuries from an accident often keep the victim from working – on a short-term, long-term, or even permanent basis. In these cases, the at-fault party is responsible for compensating the victim for lost income. If the accident caused long-term or permanent loss of earning capacity, a defendant can be responsible for those costs too. Lost wages and reduced earning capacity are included within economic damages in a personal injury case.
Property Damage
Accidents such as car crashes and other events will normally lead to property damage. The costs to repair a car, home, or other property can be tremendous. The wrongdoer in an accident can be required to compensate an accident victim for property damage as part of a settlement or jury verdict. To be fairly compensated for property repairs, you will need to keep evidence of these costs, and a personal injury lawyer can help make sure you get what you are legally entitled to.
Out Of Pocket Costs
If a serious accident led you to pay out of pocket for travel, lodging, and other expenses related to your recovery, those losses can be included as economic damages. For example, if you were required to travel long distances to see a specialist or have an operation done, any costs connected to that treatment can be sought after as economic damages in your case. Out of pocket costs can also include insurance deductibles and other expenses you had to pay after an accident.
Home and Vehicle Renovations
When an accident leads to permanent impairment or disability, a victim might require renovations to their home or vehicle. For example, if limitations due to an accident require an accessibility van or other transportation equipped with lifts, those high costs can be included as economic damages. The same is true for the installation of wheelchair ramps, widened doorways, and other new features a home may require. Illinois courts can require a defendant to pay for these repairs after a personal injury lawsuit is filed.
Funeral and Burial Expenses
In the tragic event of a death caused by an accident, the victim’s family will face unexpected funeral and burial costs. These expenses can become the responsibility of the at-fault party in a wrongful death claim. Medical expenses incurred between the accident and death can also be included as economic damages.
What Is the Deadline To File a Personal Injury Lawsuit In Illinois?
The statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits in Illinois is two years. Generally, this means litigants have two years from either the date of the injury or the time when the injury was discovered to file their lawsuit. While two years can seem like plenty of time to prepare a lawsuit, it is advantageous to file sooner than the deadline.
Ideally, the evidence will be easier to access and witness recollections sharper when your case proceeds closer to the accident itself. An experienced Chicago personal lawyer will know how to prepare and file a lawsuit within the statute of limitations for your case.
A Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You Pursue Economic Damages
After a devastating accident, you could face mounting medical bills, lost income, travel expenses, and other crippling costs as you try to recover physically. Most if not all of these expenses can be recouped as economic damages in a personal injury case. Contact a dedicated Chicago personal injury attorney at Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers to learn more and schedule your free consultation today at (312) 635-5400.