If you’ve been injured because of someone else’s negligent acts, you may be able to file a personal injury claim and collect a settlement from the liable party’s insurance company. The settlement is designed to pay for any damages that your injury has caused.
To avoid being stuck with a low-ball settlement and ensure an insurer treats you fairly, you should consult our Chicago car accident attorneys at (312) 236-2900.
An insurance company will use a special calculation known as the damages formula to determine how much your personal injury claim is worth. They will then use that number to come up with an offer.
You may be able to receive compensation for the following types of damages:
Once a personal injury claim is filed, an insurance adjuster will add up the total medical expenses associated with the injury to come up with a “medical special damages” number. This number helps the adjuster determine compensation for:
The adjuster will then typically multiply the medical special damages number:
After this calculation, any income lost as a result of the injury is added.
In short:
Medical special damages x 1.5-5 + lost income = starting point for settlement negotiations
Keep in mind:
The multiplier an adjuster applies depends largely on how serious the injury is and how long recovery is expected to take. Every case is different, but Illinois personal injury settlements tend to fall within these general ranges:
These ranges are general benchmarks, not guarantees. The final number depends on factors like medical documentation, treatment duration, fault disputes under Illinois’s modified comparative negligence rule (a plaintiff who is more than 50% at fault recovers nothing), the at-fault driver’s insurance limits, and how thoroughly your case is presented. For a deeper look at how negotiations move from formula to final number, see our overview of the car accident settlement process.
Since insurance companies, like all businesses, exist to make money, they are known for offering low-ball settlements in personal injury claims. A low-ball settlement occurs when an insurance company comes back with a settlement amount that is well below reasonable.
To prevent getting stuck with an unfair settlement that doesn’t meet your needs, you should contact the Chicago car insurance lawyers at Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. We have years of experience negotiating with insurance companies and will work tirelessly to make sure that you receive the maximum compensation you may deserve. Because we work on a contingency basis, there is no payment unless we win your case.
Related Reading: What To Do If Your Car Insurance Claim Is Denied
Insurance adjusters in Illinois total your medical expenses, multiply that figure by 1.5 to 10 times depending on injury severity, then add lost wages and other documented losses. That number becomes the starting point for negotiation, not the final value of your claim.
The damages formula combines medical special damages (your medical bills) multiplied by a severity factor with general damages (pain, suffering, emotional distress) and any lost income. Illinois adjusters do not publish the exact multiplier they use, but the range typically runs from 1.5x for soft tissue injuries up to 10x or more for severe, permanent injuries.
Insurance companies are profit-driven businesses, and lower payouts protect their bottom line. Adjusters often start with a low offer because they assume injured people without legal representation will accept it quickly to close the file.
Yes. The first offer is rarely the best one. With strong medical documentation, evidence of liability, and a clear demand letter, most personal injury claims settle for substantially more than the opening number, especially when the insurer knows the claimant has a lawyer prepared to file suit.
Usually not. Initial offers are designed to close the file cheaply. Before accepting, talk to a personal injury attorney who can review your medical records, future treatment needs, and lost-earning capacity, then determine whether the offer reflects what your claim is actually worth.
Has an injury caused by another’s negligent behavior or reckless actions negatively impacted your life? If so, call Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. at (312) 236-2900 as soon as possible to schedule a free, no-risk consultation with one of the top-rated personal injury attorneys in Chicago, IL. With our legal support, you won’t have to settle for a settlement that’s well below the value of your claim.
When you’re fighting for maximum compensation, we know what it takes to get it.
