Wheeling Personal Injury Attorney

Filing personal injury claims is often the only way that injured parties can collect compensation for the losses they suffered as the result of an accident. Unfortunately, filing these claims is a complicated process and requires compliance with a number of strict procedural rules, so injured parties who do not consult with an attorney often miss important filing deadlines or fail to discover compelling evidence during the investigative process. To ensure that this does not happen to you, please contact an experienced Wheeling personal injury lawyer before filing your own claim in court.

Personal Injury Claims

Although most people associate the term personal injury claim with car crashes, the reality is that a personal injury claim can stem from any type of accident that is caused by someone else’s negligent, reckless, or intentional conduct. Although this does include traffic accidents between cars, trucks, and motorcycles, it also covers:

• Pedestrian accidents;
• Bicycle accidents;
• Medical malpractice, such as a surgical error;
• Dog bites and other kinds of animal attacks;
• Defectively designed or manufactured consumer products;
• Slip and fall accidents caused by the failure of a property owner to keep its premises hazard free or to warn visitors of dangerous conditions;  and
• Defective medical devices or prescription medications.

Illinois residents who are injured in these types of accidents may be eligible to collect compensation from the at-fault parties, even if they also partially contributed to the accident.

Potential Damages

Plaintiffs who are able to demonstrate that someone else’s negligence was the cause of their injury could be awarded damages to compensate them for:

• Past and future medical expenses;
• Lost wages incurred while the injured party was unable to work;
• Loss of future income, which is awarded when an injury is so severe that the plaintiff becomes permanently disabled and can no longer earn the same level of income;
• Property damage;
• Pain and suffering endured as a result of the accident;
• Emotional distress; and
• Permanent disfigurement.

Some of these damages are relatively easy to prove. For instance, someone who was forced to miss two weeks of work in order to recover from their injury could provide a pay stub showing how much they would have made during that time period if they had been able to work. Medical bills are also relatively easy to account for. However, demonstrating how much a person’s emotional distress is worth is extremely difficult, so juries are asked to make their decision based on a number of factors, including: the severity of the injury, the plaintiff’s estimated recovery time, the degree of the defendant’s negligence, and the plaintiff’s age and general health before the accident.

When a defendant’s actions were particularly egregious, courts are permitted to award punitive damages, which are intended to deter similar conduct in the future. If awarded, these damages cannot exceed three times the amount provided to the injured party in economic damages, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage.

Get the Legal Representation You Deserve

Please call the SAM LAW OFFICE LLC at 847-255-9925 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Wheeling personal injury lawyer who can review your case and explain your legal options.