Actions for damages for loss of means of support or loss of parental or in loco parentis relationships sustained by a minor resulting from an injury described in Section 13- 214.1 may be commenced no later than 10 years after the person who inflicted such injury has completed his sentence therefor.
13-203.1.Loss of means of support or parental relationships.
Article XIII. Limitations · Part 2. Personal Actions · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceGives a minor up to 10 years after the person who caused a criminal-act injury completes his or her sentence to sue for loss of means of support or loss of a parental relationship stemming from that injury.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/13-203.1
Plain-English Summary
This section covers a specific kind of loss: a minor's loss of means of support, or loss of a parental or in loco parentis relationship, when that loss traces back to an injury described in Section 13-214.1 — the section covering damages from first degree murder, a Class X felony, or certain other listed crimes.
The deadline runs from the offender's sentence rather than from the injury itself: the minor may sue no later than 10 years after the person who inflicted the injury has completed his or her sentence for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What loss does this section cover?
A minor's loss of means of support, or loss of a parental or in loco parentis relationship, resulting from an injury described in Section 13-214.1.
When does the 10-year deadline start running?
From the date the person who inflicted the injury has completed his or her sentence for it, not from the date of the injury itself.
Does this section apply to any injury to a parent?
No. It applies to an injury described in Section 13-214.1, which covers first degree murder, a Class X felony, and certain other specified crimes.
Who can bring this claim?
A minor who has lost means of support or a parental or in loco parentis relationship because of the described injury.
What happens if the offender never completes a sentence, for example if the sentence is life without parole?
The section ties the deadline to completion of the sentence but does not itself address what happens if no completion date ever occurs.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 84-1043.)
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the
Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
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