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Illinois personal injury law recognizes three separate categories of earnings-related damages: past lost wages (income you actually lost during recovery)…
Loss of future earnings is one of the largest and most contested components of a personal injury damages claim in Illinois. Here is what Illinois law says.
A structured settlement is an arrangement in which a personal injury claimant agrees to receive compensation in periodic payments over time instead of a…
In almost every Illinois personal injury case, the first settlement offer from the insurance company is a deliberate low opening , made before you finish…
Spinal cord injuries are among the most costly and life-altering outcomes of Illinois accidents. Complete and incomplete SCIs carry lifetime care costs in the millions. Illinois law allows full recovery of past and future medical expenses, lost earnings, and pain and suffering with no cap on compensatory damages.
Illinois requires minimum auto insurance of 25/50/20 — $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $20,000 for property damage. These minimums are often far too low to cover serious injuries, leaving victims to pursue their own underinsured motorist coverage.
Future medical expenses are recoverable in Illinois personal injury cases when proven to a reasonable degree of medical certainty. They must be supported by expert testimony, typically from a life care planner, and discounted to present value. For catastrophic injuries, future medicals are often the largest component of a settlement or verdict.
Punitive damages in Illinois require more than negligence — the defendant’s conduct must be willful and wanton. They are available in car accident and premises cases but are expressly barred in medical malpractice under Illinois statute. Here is when they apply and when they do not.
Loss of consortium is a separate damages claim available to the spouse of a seriously injured person in Illinois. It compensates for loss of companionship, affection, and sexual relations. Here is how it works and what it is worth.
Most Illinois personal injury settlement proceeds are not taxable income under federal or Illinois law. But punitive damages, emotional distress unconnected to physical injury, and lost wage portions may be taxable. Here is what to know before you accept a settlement.