Most personal injury claims in Illinois will end in settlement as opposed to going to trial. Settlements represent an efficient way for many personal injury victims in Naperville to receive compensation for injuries that others cause to them through negligent and reckless acts.
One of the key considerations in deciding whether to settle your claim is how much compensation is offered as part of your settlement. To make the best decision, it’s important to consider the average personal injury settlement amount in Illinois to ensure you’re receiving an appropriate offer.
How Settlements Work in Illinois
Settlements are agreements between the parties involved in a personal injury case. With a settlement, the injured party generally agrees not to pursue any further legal claims in exchange for the negligent party’s agreement to pay a certain sum of money.
As an injury victim, you benefit from having your claim resolved quickly. The other party benefits from avoiding legal fees and a potentially large judgment entered against them.
Arriving at a settlement figure requires that you know the extent of your injuries and the strength of your case. Your Illinois personal injury lawyer will negotiate with the party that caused your injuries and work to arrive at a value that addresses both your economic and non-economic losses.
How Much Compensation Can You Expect in a Naperville Settlement?
The National Safety Council (NSC) provides statistics on the average economic costs of individuals involved in car accidents. While your case may not involve a negligent driver, you likely have sustained some of the same injuries that injured motorists suffer, such as a traumatic brain injury, back injury, or broken bones.
These figures, therefore, can provide an estimate of the economic costs of your case and the average personal injury settlement you could expect to receive in a similar situation.
The averages provided by the NSC are as follows:
- $1,778,000 in situations where someone perishes in an accident
- $155,000 for cases involving disabling injuries, like paralysis and traumatic brain injuries
- $40,000 for injury accidents with apparent injuries, like broken bones and lacerations
- $24,000 for incidents where injuries are possible but not evident, such as bruising
- $5,700 in situations where there were no injuries sustained
These figures only represent the costs of economic losses, such as your hospital stay, medical appointments, and lost wages. But injury accidents can also cause you emotional and mental trauma, and your settlement should also address this harm, too.
Factoring in Non-Economic Damages
There is no limit to the compensation for non-economic losses you could receive in Illinois. Still, the compensation you receive for these losses depends largely on the compensation value proposed for your economic losses.
In other words, if you only suffer minor physical injuries in an accident and incur economic losses of just a couple thousand dollars, you will not likely receive much more for pain and suffering. Conversely, sustaining paralyzing injuries can support a settlement that includes a substantially higher compensation value for your pain and suffering.
Your Settlement Should Address Your Needs
While considering the average personal injury settlement in Illinois can provide a useful benchmark in evaluating your case, it is crucial to remember that your settlement must be the right decision for you. A settlement should meet your specific needs. If it does not, you may need to negotiate further or take your case to court.
Your personal injury attorney will be able to help you determine whether settling or filing a lawsuit is the best course of action for your claim. Note as well that settlement negotiations can still continue even after a lawsuit is filed.
Contact our Personal Injury Lawyers in Naperville
If you’ve been injured in a personal injury, please call the Law Offices of Mathys & Schneid for a free case evaluation with a personal injury lawyer or contact us online.