Economic damages compensate for measurable financial losses with specific dollar amounts. Medical expenses form the largest component for most accident victims, including emergency room treatment, hospitalization, surgery, prescription medications, physical therapy, medical equipment, and future medical care. Missouri and Illinois both allow recovery for all reasonable and necessary medical expenses, including future treatment costs when medical experts can establish you’ll need ongoing care. If your injuries require a lifetime of treatment, pain management, or assistive devices, these future costs must be calculated and included in your claim.
Lost income represents another major economic damage category, compensating you for wages lost while recovering from injuries. This includes not just the paychecks you missed immediately after the accident, but also lost earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous occupation or limit your ability to advance in your career. A construction worker who suffers a back injury that prevents heavy lifting has lost more than just a few weeks of wages—they’ve potentially lost their entire career and must be compensated for the difference between their previous earning capacity and what they can now earn in a different field.
Property damage, household services you can no longer perform yourself, transportation costs to medical appointments, and other out-of-pocket expenses round out the economic damage calculation. These damages require careful documentation through medical records, billing statements, employment records, expert economic testimony, and receipts for all accident-related expenses. Our systematic approach to documenting economic damages ensures no compensable loss is overlooked when calculating your claim value.
