If you’ve been hurt in a car accident in Illinois, you can pursue compensation with a personal injury claim. Most personal injury claims are settled out of court, so you may wonder about the average settlement for a car accident in Illinois.
Several factors can affect the size of a personal injury settlement, including the severity of your injuries and the amount of insurance coverage the at-fault driver has. This makes it impossible to estimate an average settlement. The minimum liability coverage in Illinois is $25,000 for personal injury, but some drivers carry much more coverage than that. A motor vehicle accident lawyer can determine how much your case is probably worth.
Factors Affecting the Size of a Personal Injury Settlement
Factors affecting the size of a personal injury settlement in Illinois include:
- The severity of your injuries. Severe, life-changing injuries can lead to much higher-than-average settlements.
- The impact of the accident on your life, including factors such as your medical expenses, lost time at work, diminished lifetime earning potential, pain and suffering, and lost quality of life.
- How much insurance coverage the at-fault driver carries. Some drivers carry the legal minimum, while others carry more coverage to protect themselves from having to cover your losses out of pocket.
- Your age and life expectancy.
- Whether you can prove that the other driver is solely at fault for the accident. A skilled personal injury lawyer can help gather the evidence you need to prove liability.
Required Liability Insurance in Illinois
If the at-fault driver carries liability insurance as required under Illinois law, they will have at least:
- $25,000 bodily injury coverage per person
- $50,000 total bodily injury coverage per accident
- $20,000 property damage coverage
If the other driver was uninsured, you can file a claim with your uninsured motorist coverage. The minimum coverage in Illinois is $25,000 per person, up to $50,000 per accident.
Arbitration Averages
Illinois does not provide average settlement data for car accidents, but the State of Illinois Arbitration Program provides data on the average arbitration award. For a personal injury case, the average arbitration award in Illinois is $8859, and the average property damage award is $4595. However, some car accident settlements are much larger than these figures.
Large Verdicts in Illinois
Cases involving catastrophic injuries can result in much larger personal injury settlements. A study by Illinois State University showed that verdicts or settlements of $10 million or more are more likely when attorneys bring expert witnesses to testify about the effect of catastrophic injuries on the injured driver’s life.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Today
If you were hurt in a car accident in Illinois, a personal injury lawyer can determine what your case is worth and how much to demand from the other driver’s insurance company. Bonifield & Rosenstengel, P.C., helps people in Illinois injured by another driver’s negligence. Don’t hesitate to get in touch. We represent the people, not the powerful. Contact us online or call Bonifield & Rosenstengel, P.C., immediately for your free consultation.