Rolling Meadows Personal Injury Lawyer

Being injured in an accident can be both physically and financially draining, especially when the injured party was not at fault. In many cases, filing a personal injury claim is the only way that an injured party can collect enough compensation to pay off medical bills and cover household expenses while they are recuperating, so if you were injured in an accident and need help filing your own claim, it is important to consult with a personal injury attorney in Rolling Meadows who can assist you.

Types of Personal Injury Lawsuits

Most personal injury suits are based on claims of negligence, which means that the injured party will need to prove that the defendant failed to exercise reasonable care and that doing so caused him or her to sustain an injury. In many cases, these claims are raised after car accidents. However, these are by no means the only types of personal injury suits that a person can file, as injured parties can also submit claims based on the following:

• Dog bites and animal attacks;
• Bicycle accidents;
• Misdiagnosis or surgical error;
• Slip and fall accidents;
• Defective consumer products;
• Pedestrian accidents; and
• Workplace accidents.

Fortunately, even victims who contributed in some way to their accidents can recover damages for their losses. This is because Illinois is a comparative negligence state, which means that responsibility for an accident will be divided among the parties and that damages will be reduced in proportion to the injured party’s level of fault. Only when a person’s degree of fault exceeds 50 percent, will he or she be barred from recovery. Plaintiffs are also required to file a claim within two years of the date that the accident occurred. Those who fail to do so risk having their case barred by the court.

Damages

Damages are usually divided into two categories: economic damages and noneconomic damages. The latter include punitive damages, which are not intended to compensate the victim, but are meant to punish the defendant and prevent similar conduct in the future. This category of damages also includes compensation for the physical and emotional pain and suffering endured by the plaintiff. In some cases, where an accident victim passed away from his or her injuries, the deceased’s surviving family members may also be eligible to collect damages to cover their own pain and suffering. Economic damages, on the other hand, compensate injured parties for more easily quantifiable losses, such as:

• Past and future medical expenses;
• Property damage, including the cost of repair or replacement;
• Loss of employment opportunities; and
• Lost wages.

Collecting damages to cover these costs is critical to helping injured parties and their families move on with their lives, so if you were involved in an accident, please call our legal team for a free case evaluation.

Speak with a Rolling Meadows Personal Injury Attorney

To schedule a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer, please call the SAM LAW OFFICE LLC. You can reach a member of our legal team by calling 847-255-9925 or by sending us an online message today.