Illinois Personal Injury Lawyers: What are Compensatory Damages? Part II
If you have been injured as the result of the negligence of another, you may be considering contacting a Chicago personal injury attorney if you live in or near Illinois. Personal injury lawyers can weigh the evidence in your case and give you sound advice as to whether or not you should pursue a case. If you do decide to go forward with a lawsuit, with the help of your lawyer, you may eventually receive a monetary award as a result of the final outcome of the litigation.
Understanding the different types of damages that may be awarded will give you an idea of what to expect if and when your case goes to court. There are two main types of person injury damages – punitive and compensatory. Today we will give a cursory definition of compensatory damages, also known as “actual” damages. Illinois personal injury lawyers will be able to delve further into the differentiation between the two kinds of damages that may be awarded.
The purpose of compensatory damages is to compensate for all monetary expenses and physical and emotional ailments that have occurred as a result of the injury. These generally include actual financial losses such as the recovery of loss of wages, loss of profits, medical bills and the costs of repairing or replacing damaged property. But compensatory damages also help to cover the emotional costs of the injury, such as pain and suffering, mental impairment and emotional distress that can lead to long term depression and anxiety. It is the purpose of this type of compensation to cover any and all actual expenses, while using certain formulas to determine the costs to the plaintiff in the future.
In personal injury cases, these damages are often received through a settlement offered by an insurance company. But if the case goes to trial, the compensatory damages may be decided on by a jury. If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault, contact a Chicago personal injury attorney with experience in your type of litigation as soon as possible.
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