Illinois Personal Injury Claim Process
If you have suffered a personal injury, you may be entitled to compensation for your injury. Legal responsibility, called “liability”
This revolves around the simple fact that most injuries happen because someone was careless—or “negligent.” Even if you believe you may have partly caused your own injury, in most states you can still get some compensation from anyone else who was also careless and partly responsible for your injury. There are several factors that affect the potential success and value of a personal injury claim.
Such factors include the ability to prove the fault of another for your injury and the nature and extent of your injuries. If you suspect you may have a legal claim, you should contact an attorney for an evaluation of your case.
Personal injury attorneys are experienced with cases like yours and can tell you at the outset whether it is worthwhile to pursue legal action. If you are unlikely to prevail, your attorney will tell you so, and you will not need to incur the time and expense of pursuing an unpromising claim. In pursuing personal injury claims, attorneys work with investigators and experts in specialized areas who can skillfully investigate the technical and medical aspects of your case. More importantly, an attorney can work through the maze of paperwork necessary to resolve your claim so that you can get on with your life.
There are several steps you can take to increase your chances of recovery, as well as increase your potential overall recovery, in a personal injury case, even before you meet with an attorney. Such steps include:
- Writing down as much as you can about the accident or injury itself, your injuries, and any other losses (such as wages) you’ve suffered as a result of the accident.
- Making notes of conversations that you have with people involved in the accident or the injury claim.
- Preserving evidence of who caused the accident and what damage was done by collecting physical evidence and taking photographs.
- Locating people who witnessed the accident and who might be able to help you prove your case.
- Notifying anyone you think might be responsible for your injuries of your intention to file a claim for your injuries, especially if a government agency or employee may be involved.
Every year, more than 90,000 people die in the United States as a result of unintentional injuries. If you have been recently injured, contact our office to see if you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries.