What Are Non-Economic Damages in Illinois?
When you file a personal injury claim in Illinois, you are entitled to be made whole by the person liable for your injuries. This means the at-fault party should be responsible for covering the total extent of your losses. While economic damages are quantifiable monetary expenses that are easy to calculate, non-economic damages are more challenging to account for.
This is because it’s much more difficult to place a figure on areas of your life that have been affected by an injury, such as emotional distress and a loss of companionship. Continue reading to learn more about these non-economic damages and what they refer to.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
When we consider the loss of enjoyment of life in your claim, we are talking about things that made you happy before the accident prevented you from being able to do them.
An example of this could be a person who ran marathons prior to his or her involvement in an accident that led to a leg amputation. It is very unlikely that the victim will be able to enjoy this activity again; for this reason, the loss of enjoyment of life should be included in his or her personal injury claim.
Pain and Suffering
Probably the most common non-economic damage included in personal injury claims is pain and suffering. Many injury victims have to endure lengthy recovery processes that can be extremely painful.
It is also common for accident survivors to suffer from nightmares and flashbacks of the trauma they’ve experienced. If you have had to deal with the effects of depression or anxiety and the consequences of the accident in general, you are entitled to damages for pain and suffering.
Loss of Consortium
An accident doesn’t just affect the person who has been injured. It can also have devastating effects on the family members of those involved. When an injury damages your family relationships, you may be entitled to compensation for loss of consortium, or a loss of companionship and love.
Suffering from depression can force a person to turn away from his or her family members or make it so he or she can no longer enjoy the company of loved ones. Some injuries can also render a person unable to participate in physical intimacy with his or her spouse. It is more common than you might think for couples to end up separating due to an injury.
Call a Rockford Personal Injury Lawyer
When you are involved in an accident and are unsure of how to go about obtaining the compensation you deserve, reach out to an experienced Rockford personal injury lawyer with Mahoney & Mahoney, LLC.
We will be sure to include the complete impact of your injuries in our pursuit of the compensation you’re owed. You can give us a call at 815-656-4600 or fill out the quick contact form below to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation today.
