Taking on the personal injury claims process without a lawyer is a common mistake. What happens if you settle for an amount that’s less than what you need? Or if you don’t settle your case at all?

The answer is you may wind up with medical bills you can’t afford, lost wages that you can never get back, and lifelong effects that are never compensated.

You need to think about how your injury affects you right now as well as how it might affect you for the rest of your life. In general, people who hire injury attorneys tend to recover more money than those who don’t. Furthermore, attorneys can also help negotiate discounts on any medical bills or liens from your case so that you get to keep more of your settlement. It’s also important to note that personal injury lawyers make the process of settling your case much easier by handling all the correspondence and negotiation with the insurance company, meaning that all you need to do is focus on getting better.

Remember, personal injury lawyers only get paid when they win your case. You should always involve a lawyer in a personal injury claim. Reach out to us today; our consultations are always free.

That’s an easy one. Contact us! We will review your claim for FREE. We will take the time to listen to you, learn about your situation, and give you our best advice. We’ll help explain the ins and outs of things like coverage, liability, statutes of limitations, and what options are available to you.

In Illinois, pain and suffering claims fall into a larger category called non-economic damages. Damages for pain and suffering may depend on a number of factors, including the severity of the injuries, the impact of the injuries on day to day life, the emotional distress and mental anguish caused by the injuries, the age and health of the individual, and what type of pain and suffering the injured person is likely to experience in the future.

If you’ve been involved in any type of auto accident, we generally recommend these steps:

1. Contact Local Authorities: Report the accident as soon as you are able and get medical attention for any injuries.
2. Gather Evidence: If your injuries permit, take pictures, get witness info, and document everything.
3. Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer: Do this BEFORE speaking with the insurance company. An attorney can help you get started with your claim and guide you on the next steps.

For more information on steps to take after an auto accident, check out this blog post.

In Illinois, most personal injury cases have a two-year statute of limitations. It is critically important that you have your case on file before this deadline passes, or your claim may be barred, regardless of its merit. It is important to note that some cases have a shorter one-year deadline, like certain cases against governmental entities. For minors, in most injury cases, other than medical malpractice cases, the two-year statute of limitations would begin to run when the minor turns 18. The best way to know what deadlines apply to your specific case is to take advantage of a free consultation with an experienced injury lawyer. Injury consultations with our office are free, so call today.

There are two types of damages, compensatory damages and punitive damages.

Compensatory damages (also referred to as ‘actual damages’) compensate an injured person for various kinds of losses or damages. Compensatory damages include economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages, or non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, mental distress, disfigurement, shortened lifespan, and potential future treatment for injuries.

Punitive damages are designed to punish the at-fault party for behavior considered to be exceptionally negligent and egregious. They are meant to discourage similar negligence in the future.

The amount of money or compensation you are entitled to, also called your “recovery,” is based on the extent of the damages you sustained from your injury. Damages typically include things like medical expenses, lost wages, long-term complications, pain and suffering, and the loss of your normal life. Your recovery may also be impacted based on how much coverage is available through the at-fault party’s insurance and/or your own insurance.

Each case is unique, so the base way to understand the potential value of your claim is to talk to an injury lawyer. Contact our office today for a free consultation, we will be happy to give you the best analysis we can on the value of your case.

Each potential personal injury case is unique. If you were harmed due to the carelessness of another, you may be entitled to compensation. The best way to determine if your injury may qualify for a claim, what kind of value the claim may have, and to get guidance through the injury claim process, is to reach out for a free consultation. We are here to help.

Personal injury lawyers help people who are injured due to the carelessness of another, so they can get their medical bills paid and be compensated for their losses. Injury lawyers evaluate claims, gather evidence to support claims, determine what insurance or resources may be available to compensate their clients, negotiate on behalf of their clients with the appropriate parties, and when necessary, file a lawsuit to obtain justice for their clients in court.
We generally believe that an injury lawyer can help you by 1) maximizing your recovery, 2) minimizing what must be paid out of your claim in medical bills and liens, and 3) handling the injury claim process, so you can focus on your health, your family, and getting your life back.

In most of the claims we handle, our clients never have to file a lawsuit against anyone to successfully resolve their claim. There are two different phases of the process when we try to obtain compensation for our injured clients. The first phase is the “claim” phase. In this phase, we will negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to achieve the best possible settlement for you. In most cases, we are able to successfully resolve a case in the “claim” phase. If we are not able to settle the case in this phase, we could then enter the “litigation” phase or the point in the claim where we file a lawsuit on behalf of our client. Whether or not we file a lawsuit is always the client’s choice.