Calculating damages in a personal injury case is a complex process that takes several different elements into account. It often requires putting a price on things that have no set monetary value.
Under Illinois law, you have a right to cover damages for a personal injury sustained due to the negligence of someone else. The monetary amount you are entitled to recover by law is based on the different elements of your damages and each case varies.
Many victims incur a great deal of medical bills as a result of their injuries. As such, medical bills are a major part of your potential recovery against the wrongdoer in a personal injury case. The amount of these bills may be used by the court as basis to determine the value of your claim. If you have been injured due to the negligence of another, make sure you save all receipts from the medical care you receive. Your Chicago personal injury lawyer will need these documents in order to make your claim.
Another element used to determine damages in a personal injury case is lost wages or lost time from work. This applies to individuals who earn salaries as well as those who earn hourly wages. If you have suffered a personal injury and you have to miss work or decrease your hours to part-time, you may be able to recover these damages from the person who caused the accident. While it is possible to receive compensation for lost time and wages, you may have to prove your lost time.
Pain and suffering is an additional element that can be used to assess damages in a personal injury case. This element, however, can be difficult to assess because it is less easily defined than medical bills or lost wages, which are easy to calculate. Being compensated for pain and suffering is an attempt to compensate you for the time that you are in pain after an accident. It deals with how your life was affected by the accident and your ability to carry out your activities of daily living. In addition, there is no standard methodology for calculating an appropriate amount of compensation for pain and suffering. You should be sure that you are able to explain to your lawyer just how your life has been affected by your accident.
A final element that can be considered in determining damages is the issue of permanency. In severe personal injury cases, victims may suffer pain years after their accident or injury. In addition, victims may have received a permanent scar or deformity that may be compensable as permanent.
If you have been injured in an accident, you should contact a Chicago personal injury lawyer who can help you to consider each of these elements and determine the proper amount of damages owed to you under the law.
Michael Osborne is a Chicago injury lawyer. The Law Office of Michael Osborne helps accident, wrongful death, and personal injury victims. To contact a Chicago personal injury attorney or learn more, visit Michaelosbornelaw.com or call (312) 315-1765.
