Chicago Personal
Injury Attorney Blog

In general, if a person is injured on your property, you are not responsible unless you did not exercise ordinary care or you were not careful. A Chicago personal injury attorney will likely advise you that in Illinois, in cases of premises liability, property owners are required to maintain their property in a way that will not cause injury to others who are visiting the property. It is important to remember that premises liability does vary from state to state, however.

In the past, the extent of liability depended on the reason that the injured person was on the property – but current trends often do not make a distinction between invited and uninvited guests. In fact, in some states and in some cases, the owner of a business or home may even be held responsible when a burglar is injured on his or her property. Illinois personal injury lawyers will be able to inform you on these types of premises liability concerns within the state.

Illinois personal injury lawyers who take on premises liability lawsuits will attempt to prove that reasonable care was not taken to maintain the property and protect visitors from injury. If this is found to be true, the property owner through their insurance may be forced to pay damages for loss of income, medical expenses, disability, as well as pain and suffering, as determined by a jury.

If you’ve been injured while on private property, there are some actions you can (and should) take immediately if possible. Document the accident; take photos of the scene, and make note of the conditions of the area where the accident occurred. Line up any potential witnesses and keep track of their statements. This information is very helpful to a Chicago personal injury attorney who is evaluating your case.

If you are unsure of the law or have any questions about property liability, contact an experienced Chicago personal injury attorney for advice.

Popularity: 28% [?]

Share This

A majority of personal injury lawsuits end up never going to trial and instead are settled out of court with a specific monetary offer. But just because you have received a settlement offer, this does not mean that the case still does not merit a trial or that, if you do decide to settle, that you have to accept the first offer on the table.

If you live in Illinois, the advice of an experienced Chicago personal injury attorney will help you determine the best course of action if you are offered a settlement. Working together, you will be able to evaluate whether or not the offer is appropriate or if going to trial will be more advantageous for your case. It is likely that the attorney will ask these questions to help you make a sound decision about the offer:

How much has this injury cost you so far? Add up the medical expenses and lost wages that you have already incurred as a result of the injury – how does this stack up to the offer put forth? In a sound case, these basic costs should be included in a settlement offer.

How much will the injury cost you in the future? Financially speaking, determine how much the injury will cost you long-term. Then figure the emotional and social damage that the injury has caused or will continue to cause in your life. Although you may consider long term damage to be impossible to put a dollar value on – your Illinois personal injury lawyers can draw on experience to come up with a fair monetary amount.

What is the minimum amount you are willing to accept? Most people have an idea of what they expect financially as the result of a settlement. Keep in mind, however, that sometimes, the dollar amount perceived by the client as fair is unrealistic. Based on experience, your Illinois personal injury lawyers should be able to objectively counsel you as to whether or not your minimum figure for compensation is reasonable.

How much of the settlement amount will go to lawyers’ fees and expenses? Remember that your legal fees will be taken from the settlement. After these fees are paid, will you still have a fair amount of compensation for the extent of the injury? Be sure to consider these types of costs, as well as the taxes that will need to be paid. Your Illinois personal injury attorney will listen and advise you as you consider these questions, taking into account all the relevant information. If you decide that the offer is too low based on these parameters, it can be rejected, and may result in another, higher offer. If you and your attorney decide that justice will best be served through a jury, however, then a trial may be the next step.

If you have any questions about personal injury lawsuits, settlements or your rights after an injury in the state of Illinois, contact an experienced Chicago personal injury attorney today.

Popularity: 30% [?]

Share This

If you or someone you know has been the victim of an animal bite, you may be wondering what your legal rights are in this circumstance. What do you do when you have been attacked by a dog or animal and want to seek compensation?

The first thing to do, naturally, is seek treatment. Next, you should report the incident by contacting either your local animal control agency or the police. At this point, if you have been injured you may decide to pursue legal action.

In most states, including Illinois, personal injury lawyers will tell you that legally, anyone owning or keeping a dog, or other animal is responsible for damages to a person injured by that animal. The primary defense used by insurance carriers against such a claim against the owner of an animal who has injured an individual is that there was “provocation” of the dog or animal by the person who was bitten.

In addition to state laws that cover animal bites, communities may also have local leash laws and/or laws pertaining to animal bites and violations.There may also be a ban on certain breeds within communities. If a leash law is violated, the owner may be required to pay fines as well as monetary damages. Depending on the community, a Chicago personal injury attorney will be able to advise you on the laws and ordinances that pertain to your case.

Animal bites can be dangerous and debilitating. If you have been injured by an animal, consider contacting an attorney in your area. A Chicago personal injury attorney may be able to recover damages that result from dog or animal bites. These damages may include: wage loss, current and future plastic surgery costs, medical bills, counseling, if necessary and pain and suffering and disability.

Since animal bite laws vary from state to state it’s important that you contact an experienced lawyer in your area to determine whether or not you have a valid claim. Illinois personal injury lawyers who specialize in animal bites will refer to the Illinois Animal Control Act, a comprehensive law that explains liability when animal attacks occur in the state.

Popularity: 31% [?]

Share This

The decision to pursue a lawsuit can be difficult, and many factors must be considered before the process begins. First of all, if you think you might have a case, you will want to be sure that you find an experienced personal injury lawyer who can advise you on the merits of a possible lawsuit. Since laws vary from state to state, Illinois personal injury lawyers will be able to specifically counsel you on the laws that pertain to you within the state.

Having a general idea of personal injury lawsuits will help prepare you for your initial consultation with an Illinois/Chicago personal injury attorney. Keep these facts in mind as you prepare to meet with a lawyer:

Does your case have merit?

Chicago personal injury attorneys are contacted by hundreds of potential clients a year, but not all warrant a lawsuit. Although you may believe that you were wronged and deserve compensation, remember that your idea of compensation may be different from that permitted by Illinois law.

What are your chances of winning in court?

If you plan to pursue a lawsuit in Illinois, personal injury lawyers will advise you on the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence. They will also be able to judge the evidence of your opponent to determine if there is a strong case against them. An attorney will also counsel you when determining whether or not your witnesses will be reliable and/or believable, and even assess your own personality, and determine whether or not you will appeal to jurors.

Are you prepared to settle?

The truth is, the majority of personal injury lawsuits are settled out of court. This may not always produce the desired amount of compensation, since it is a compromise between two positions. It does however remove the risk and high cost of litigation. Consider that if you go to court, a jury can find against your case and award you nothing. Deciding to accept a settlement, however, does not mean that there is no room for negotiation. You and your attorney will discuss the pros and cons of an offer and weigh all the elements that will provide fair compensation for emotional, physical or financial loss due to injury.

If you are considering pursuing a lawsuit, the first step is to find an experienced attorney that you trust – and take the time to educate yourself about the workings of the law in your state. With the assistance of a Chicago personal injury attorney, you will be able to move forward with a clear idea of what to expect from the legal process in llinois.

Popularity: 48% [?]

Share This

Individuals who have suffered a serious personal injury face all-too-common hardships while seeking restitution. At best, the road towards compensation can be described as disheartening; at its worse, defeating.

The difference lies in an individual’s ability to obtain early consultation with an attorney qualified to prosecute (if necessary) a trial on their behalf within a committed firm that possesses both the support teams and financial resources to see their case through to a just and successful conclusion.

The path to compensation for medical expenses, time off work, short term or permanent disabilities, and pain and suffering is typically littered with denial of responsibility. As financial hardships mount, the injured and/or their families are forced into unfair and low settlement agreements.

Unfortunately, the groundwork for defeat is laid early on as defense attorneys and insurance companies with endless resources to pay for years of delays carefully manipulate your words, your actions, the facts of your case and extent of your injuries, and ultimately, your rights.

The lives of the injured – or more appropriately, the worth of their lives — becomes a point of negotiation; reduced in value by corporations, their insurance companies, and the law firms hired to defend such adversaries against damages until the injured and the needs of their families are forced into desperate submission.

Popularity: 49% [?]

Share This