If you have been in an auto accident, it may take weeks, months or even longer to heal from the physical harm you have experienced. However, if your injury was especially severe, you may find the accident has harmed you and your family in other ways that are harder to express in financial terms alone.
As in other states, in Illinois, you may be able to receive both economic damages for lost income and specific medical expenses as well as non-economic damages in the form of pain and suffering compensation.
What are non-economic damages?
Non-financial damages are compensation for the intangible harm done to you and your family. This may include physical and emotional pain and suffering that resulted due to your injury as well as lasting harm to your quality of life due to disfigurement, disability, or difficulty maintaining close relationships with family, friends and colleagues.
How does the court determine pain and suffering compensation?
Pain and suffering is necessarily subjective measure. However, factors for determining non-economic damages may include:
- The extent and nature of your injuries, including permanent disability and/or chronic pain
- The degree to which the accident has impacted your ability to return to work and other activities you enjoy
- The ways your injury has harmed your career goals, ability to care for loved ones or ability to care for yourself
Why is non-economic relief important?
Even if you manage to recover from a severe injury, life may never be the same after your accident. You may not be able to return to the work you love, day-to-day tasks may be arduous and you may find it difficult to maintain the relationships that once helped you thrive. For these reasons and more, pursuing non-economic damages may be essential for helping you get your life back on track.