CHICAGO, IL – If you or somebody you love sustained an injury caused by the negligence or wrongful actions of another individual, company or entity, you may have the right to recover compensation for your injuries and other losses.
Understanding the type of compensation you can receive may be complicated. After a personal injury claim has been filed, it may be possible for a victim to receive economic, non-economic and punitive damages for what happened. Read this week’s blog to learn the importance of working with a Chicago personal injury lawyer to help navigate the complicated legal process.
Compensatory Damages
“Compensatory” damages are types of compensation awarded in a personal injury class which is broken down into economic damages (special damages) and non-economic damages (general damages).
Economic damages revolve around the type of expenses that are fairly easy to calculate after a personal injury case occurs. This is typically done by gathering medical expenses, proof of out-of-pocket expenses, proof of lost wages, etc. The most common type of economic damages a personal injury victim may receive includes coverage of medical expenses, coverage of lost wages, out-of-pocket costs and property damage losses.
Non-economic damages are not as easy to calculate because these damages are meant to compensate a victim for things that are not calculable and don’t come with direct bills or receipts that can be totaled. This can include physical pain and suffering damages, emotional and psychological trauma, loss of quality of life damages, loss of enjoyment of life damages, scarring and disfigurement, and loss of consortium for a spouse.
When calculating the economic damages mentioned above, a skilled attorney will add up all of the calculable expenses. To calculate non-economic damages, an attorney will often use a “multiplier method,” which means they will take the total economic damages and multiply that by a set number, often ranging from 1.5 to 5. When they have both the economic and non-economic damage totals, they will add the two together to reach their valuation of the case.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages aren’t awarded in every case, and Illinois law only allows a plaintiff to seek these damages if they sustain a bodily injury, sustained physical damage to their property or are injured due to a defective product. Punitive damages are reserved for instances where the conduct of the defendant was grossly negligent or particularly reprehensible. These damages are meant to punish the defendant while also sending a message to other individuals or companies that the behavior displayed in the case is not acceptable.
Consulting with an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer in Chicago, Illinois
If you or somebody you care about is injured due to the careless or negligent actions of another individual, contact an attorney as soon as possible. The experienced attorneys at the Dinizulu Law Group will use our resources and legal expertise to conduct a complete investigation into your case, file the claim for you, negotiate with every party involved and help obtain maximum compensation on your behalf. Call us at (312) 384-1920 or fill out this form to get started today!
