Jurisdiction Intelligence Report

Wrongful Death Case Values in Illinois (2026)

Data-driven verdict and settlement analysis for Wrongful Death cases in Illinois. Median outcome: $13.8M across 5 tracked cases.

Verdicts Tracked
5
Median Outcome
$13.8M
Mean Outcome
$26.0M
Range
$10.5M–$79.8M

Verdict Distribution

RangeCasesPercent
$5M+5100%

Key Valuation Factors

Defendant type and financial depth (municipality, corporation, or individual)Decedent's age, earning capacity, and number of dependentsDegree of negligence and availability of punitive damagesQuality and clarity of liability evidence (e.g., surveillance, expert testimony)Comparative fault allocation under Illinois modified comparative negligence rule

Key Trends & Insights

Wrongful Death verdicts and settlements in Illinois demonstrate consistently high valuations, with a median outcome of $13.8M and a mean of $26.0M, reflecting the state's plaintiff-favorable jury environment and the absence of a general non-economic damages cap. The dataset reveals significant variance in outcomes, ranging from $10.5M to $79.8M, suggesting that case-specific factors such as defendant type, degree of negligence, and decedent profile play a substantial role in driving final awards. High-profile cases involving municipal defendants, such as the $79.8M Estate of Spicer v. City of Chicago verdict, tend to skew mean values upward, while commercial trucking and construction cases anchor the lower-to-mid range of recoveries.

Notable Cases

Krzysztof Jarosz v. AJD Construction (and Nicolas Moreno) (as described) $10.5M
2025 · Expert Institute

Expert Institute reports a Cook County jury awarded $10.5 million for the death of cyclist Sylwia Jarosz after being struck by a dump truck driven by an unlicensed driver, with allegations of negligent hiring and safety violations by the employer. The article states liability was admitted before tri

View Source →
Estate of Spicer v. City of Chicago, et al. $79.8M
2024 · TopVerdict.com

A wrongful-death/government-negligence case involving a vehicle collision and police/emergency-vehicle related tags, listed by TopVerdict among the top U.S. personal injury verdicts of 2024. The TopVerdict listing omits the court.

View Source →
Schauer v. MK Deliveries Inc., et al. $13.8M
2024 · TopVerdict.com

TopVerdict lists this as a 2024 wrongful death verdict arising from a truck/motor vehicle crash, including impaired driving categorization. The entry indicates survival action and fatal bodily injury.

View Source →
Schauer v. MK Deliveries Inc. $13.8M
2024 · TopVerdict.com Top 100 Wrongful Death Verdicts 2024

Family received $13.8M verdict after decedent was killed in a collision with a delivery truck involving impaired driving. Case was tried in Cook County, Illinois. Attorney James P. Lynch of Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman obtained the verdict.

View Source →
Adams Family v. Lakeview Rehabilitation and Nursing Center LLC $12.2M
2024 · Fox 32 Chicago / Levin & Perconti

Family of 79-year-old Shirley Adams received $12.2M verdict -- the largest nursing home verdict in Illinois history -- after she died from complications of infected pressure wounds at Lakeview Rehabilitation. Jury found the facility understaffed and poorly supervised. Adams entered the facility in J

View Source →

Get Your Case Evaluated

Use Harlan's AI-powered engine to analyze your Wrongful Death case in Illinois against this verdict data.

Evaluate My Case →