Serving Waukegan, Libertyville, Lake County, Gurnee & nearby areas of Illinois
Posted: November 5, 2010
What type of damages should you expect from a personal injury case? A good lawyer determines the value based upon what they expect a reasonable jury to award as fair and adequate compensation.
· Past Economic losses
· Future economic losses
· Pain and suffering
Past economic loss is fairly straightforward. It include such things as medical bills, expenses for over-the-counter or prescription drugs, lost income and additional child care costs. Every case is different but the key question is what are the out-of-pocket expenses incurred by me and my family as a result of my injuries.
Future economic losses are harder to figure out and could require the retention of an expert witness such as an economist. Loss of future earning capacity is the difference between what you were capable of earning over your lifetime before the injury and the amount you’re now capable of earning with your permanent physical limitations. Doctors must determine your permanent physical limitations and a vocational expert can then figure out the impact on your employability. Future economic losses also include expected medical and life care expenses.
Determining damages for past and future pain and suffering resulting from your personal injury can be very difficult. There are no books or guides for juries to use in determining these losses. Your lawyer can review past jury verdicts for cases similar to yours and can use their training and experience to come up with a fair range of damages that you might expect.
Obtaining a fair and reasonable outcome from a personal injury case takes a qualified and experienced lawyer. Contact us if you need assistance with your injury claim.
