Illinois Car Accident Settlement Calculator
Get a rough estimate of what a Illinois car-accident injury claim might be worth, based on your medical bills and losses. This is an estimate to understand the factors — not a prediction or an offer.
This is a rough estimate, not a prediction or an offer.
No tool can predict a settlement. This uses the common "multiplier method" to show the factors that drive value and a wide range — actual outcomes depend on the facts, the available insurance limits, the venue, and negotiation. Consult a Illinois car-accident attorney about your case.
Enter your medical bills and losses to see an estimated range
The multiplier method (pain-and-suffering as a multiple of your medical bills) is a common starting point, not a guarantee. A real recovery is also capped by the available insurance (the at-fault driver's limits, or your own UM/UIM coverage). Most car-accident cases settle; an attorney is the only way to value your specific claim. This tool is not legal advice and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
How the Estimate Works
No tool can predict a car-accident settlement — every case is different and the number depends on the facts, the available insurance, the venue, and negotiation. This calculator applies the multiplier method: it adds your economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage), then estimates pain and suffering as a multiple of your medical bills (about 1.5× for minor injuries up to 5× or more for catastrophic ones), and shows a wide range. It then applies Illinois's fault rule and flags the insurance limits that cap a real payout.
Illinois Is an at-fault (tort) state
Illinois is a pure at-fault (tort) state. It is NOT one of the 12 traditional no-fault/PIP states and has no PIP-first or choice election. The at-fault driver (through their liability insurer) is responsible for the injured party's damages, and an injured person may sue directly for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering without crossing any no-fault threshold. Illinois operates a fault-based liability system governed by modified comparative negligence; nothing in Illinois law establishes no-fault PIP coverage.
Minimum Insurance & UM/UIM in Illinois
A settlement is only collectible up to the available insurance. Illinois's minimum required liability coverage is $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $20,000 for property damage. Many drivers carry only the minimum, so a large claim can exceed the at-fault driver's policy. Mandatory minimum liability limits are 25/50/20: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident, and $20,000 property damage per accident. These limits flow from the financial-responsibility statute 625 ILCS 5/7-203 and the mandatory-insurance requirement 625 ILCS 5/7-601 (every owner of a registered vehicle must carry liability insurance at least equal to the 7-203 limits). The $20,000 property-damage figure has been in effect since the 2015 increase from $15,000.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM): if the other driver had no insurance or fled the scene, your recovery comes from your own UM/UIM coverage. In Illinois, UM/UIM is required to carry. Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UM) coverage is MANDATORY and cannot be rejected at the statutory floor: under 215 ILCS 5/143a, every automobile liability policy that includes bodily-injury liability must include UM coverage in an amount at least equal to the financial-responsibility limits ($25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident). Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage is required under 215 ILCS 5/143a-2 whenever the insured purchases UM/BI limits above the statutory $25,000/$50,000 minimum, in an amount equal to the UM limits selected; an insured may reject UM/UIM only above the statutory minimum, in writing. Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD) is also addressed by statute (subject to ACV or $15,000 cap and a $250 deductible).
Fault & Your Recovery: modified comparative negligence (51% bar)
Illinois follows modified comparative negligence (51% bar). Your award is reduced by your share of fault, and you recover nothing once you are 51% or more at fault.
Deadline to File a Illinois Car-Accident Claim
Illinois generally requires a car-accident injury lawsuit to be filed within 2 years of the crash (the statute of limitations). Two-year statute of limitations for personal-injury (negligence) actions, including auto-accident claims, under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Property-damage claims to a vehicle generally fall under a five-year limit (735 ILCS 5/13-205), but the controlling SOL for bodily-injury auto torts is 2 years. Claims against an Illinois governmental entity must be filed within 1 year (745 ILCS 10/8-101). The 2-year figure remains current and correct. Miss it and your claim is usually barred no matter how strong it is, so do not wait to talk to an attorney.
- Illinois is an at-fault (tort) state — there is no no-fault/PIP system, so an injured driver pursues the at-fault driver's liability insurer (or files a UM/UIM claim) for all damages including pain & suffering.
- Minimum mandatory liability limits are 25/50/20: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $20,000 property damage (625 ILCS 5/7-203 and 7-601).
- Uninsured-motorist bodily-injury coverage ($25k/$50k) is mandatory and cannot be waived at the minimum; underinsured-motorist coverage is required when you buy UM limits above the minimum (215 ILCS 5/143a, 143a-2).
- Illinois follows modified comparative negligence — you are barred from recovery only if you are more than 50% at fault, and any award is reduced by your percentage of fault (735 ILCS 5/2-1116).
- You generally have 2 years from the accident to file a personal-injury lawsuit (735 ILCS 5/13-202); vehicle property-damage claims have a longer 5-year limit (735 ILCS 5/13-205), and claims against a government entity must be filed within 1 year.
- PIP is not required and not part of Illinois law; optional MedPay can supplement coverage but is not mandated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my Illinois car accident claim worth?
No one can tell you a number in advance. A rough estimate adds your economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage) and applies a pain-and-suffering multiplier, then adjusts for fault under Illinois's modified comparative negligence (51% bar) rule. The real value also depends on the available insurance limits — an attorney is the only way to value your specific case.
Is Illinois a no-fault state?
Illinois is a pure at-fault (tort) state. It is NOT one of the 12 traditional no-fault/PIP states and has no PIP-first or choice election. The at-fault driver (through their liability insurer) is responsible for the injured party's damages, and an injured person may sue directly for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering without crossing any no-fault threshold. Illinois operates a fault-based liability system governed by modified comparative negligence; nothing in Illinois law establishes no-fault PIP coverage.
Does my own fault reduce my Illinois settlement?
Yes. Illinois follows modified comparative negligence (51% bar). You recover nothing once you are 51% or more at fault.
How long do I have to file in Illinois?
Generally 2 years from the crash. Two-year statute of limitations for personal-injury (negligence) actions, including auto-accident claims, under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Property-damage claims to a vehicle generally fall under a five-year limit (735 ILCS 5/13-205), but the controlling SOL for bodily-injury auto torts is 2 years. Claims against an Illinois governmental entity must be filed within 1 year (745 ILCS 10/8-101). The 2-year figure remains current and correct.
Is this calculator accurate?
It is a rough estimate to show the factors that drive value — not a prediction or an offer. Real settlements vary enormously and are capped by the available insurance. Treat any number here as a ballpark and consult a Illinois car-accident attorney.
Disclaimer
This estimator is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a prediction of any outcome. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm. The value of a car-accident claim can only be assessed by a licensed attorney reviewing your specific facts.