Accidents can strike at any moment, and not all accidents can be prevented; however, if your accident was due to another person’s disregard for your safety, you may be able to hold that person accountable. When someone causes another person harm, either through willful action or by accident, you can seek damages for your losses. You may have suffered great losses because of your accident. You could be looking at hefty hospital bills, you may be missing a lot of time at work, and you could be dealing with the cost of physical therapy and mental health services. That’s not even including the suffering you’ve endured, for which you are also owed compensation. Filing a personal injury claim isn’t easy, but when you have the right lawyer on your side, your chance of reaching a positive resolution increase greatly. Your attorney will investigate your accident, figure out who’s to blame, prove your case, and negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf. Partner with a Chicago personal injury lawyer from Lane & Lane, LLC. Have Questions? Call 312-332-1400 OR Click here for a FREE consultation

Understanding Negligence in Illinois Personal Injury Claims Injured accident victims are able to file personal injury claims because of the laws regarding negligence in Illinois. When a person is negligent or careless, and that carelessness results in another person’s injury, the negligent party can be held financially responsible. This means that you can sue the person for damages in civil court. When you pursue a case against an at-fault party, you are doing so for two main reasons: compensation for your losses and justice for the harm that person has done to you. One other important note about negligence is that you don’t have to be 100 percent faultless in order to seek damages. Even if you are partially to blame for the accident that harmed you, you can still pursue a claim against the other party for the role he or she played in your accident—as long as that person’s fault is greater than yours. This is called contributory fault. Have Questions? Call 312-332-1400 OR Click here for a FREE consultation

Illinois Personal Injury Statute of Limitations Most states set a time limit on how long you have to file a personal injury claim after an accident. This time limit is called the “statute of limitations.” If you fail to file your claim within the allotted time, you won’t be able to file a claim at all—no matter how much evidence you have or how much you deserve compensation. The statute of limitations in Illinois is two years from the date of your injury accident. Don’t risk having your case rejected by waiting too long. Even if you still have plenty of time until the timeframe expires, you should file your case as soon as possible. Have Questions? Call 312-332-1400 OR Click here for a FREE consultation

Most Common Types of Chicago Personal Injury Cases There are a great many ways a person can suffer injury because of another’s negligence; however, there are some common injury types, and it is helpful to know them as the laws are different depending on which case you have. For instance, if you have a medical malpractice case, there are different rules and laws that govern how that type of case should be handled. It is much more difficult to prove medical negligence than it is to prove general negligence. Each case is unique, and some are much more complex than others. You can rest assured that your Chicago personal injury attorney will know how to address your case to get the compensation you deserve. Listed below are the most common types of personal injury cases and a little information about each case type. Motor vehicle collisions

Product liability

Premises liability

Medical negligence

Sexual abuse

Elder abuse Have Questions? Call 312-332-1400 OR Click here for a FREE consultation

Determining Fault for Your Injury Accident When you file an injury claim, you are asserting that someone has harmed you and that he or she owes you damages for that harm. But how can you really be sure who was at fault for your accident? In some cases, the fault will be extremely obvious and easy to prove. For example, if you were sitting in a parked car and a driver came along and hit you, chances are that it was the other driver’s fault. Not all cases are this clear-cut and easy to prove, however. In fact, most cases aren’t. In order to determine who is liable for your accident, you will have to investigate. Your Chicago personal injury lawyer from Lane & Lane, LLC will assist you with the entire investigation process, as well as with the entire personal injury process from start to finish. Below is a list of evidence types that might be needed to prove your personal injury claim: Witness statements

Expert witness testimony, such as medical experts or accident scene investigators

Police reports

Video footage and photos of the accident scene and your injuries

Physical evidence pertaining to your claim

Medical evidence of your injuries, including doctor statements

Medical history Have Questions? Call 312-332-1400 OR Click here for a FREE consultation

What Will Your Chicago Personal Injury Attorney Do? Remember, you’re hiring a personal injury lawyer for a reason: to assist you with your case. Your lawyer will do a lot more than just investigate your case. He or she will also perform the following tasks: File your personal injury claim paperwork

Answer all your questions and concerns

Walk you through the entire claims process

Help you document your medical injuries and related losses

Build a convincing case that shows fault, why you deserve to receive damages, and how much your damages amount to

Present your case to an insurance company and negotiate the best settlement possible

Take your case to court if necessary Filing a personal injury claim on your own is not in your best interests. You deserve to receive maximum compensation for the suffering and financial losses you’ve been forced to endure because of another’s negligence. You need to concentrate on your physical and emotional wellbeing—not worry about winning your claim. Your injury attorney will do everything possible to see that your case reaches the positive outcome you’re hoping for, otherwise your lawyer will take your case to court in order to fight for you and the compensation you rightfully deserve. Have Questions? Call 312-332-1400 OR Click here for a FREE consultation

The Insurance Company Doesn’t Want to Pay Many people don’t realize that when you sue someone, it’s usually the insurance company that will be paying the bill. Unless you’re suing a person that is enormously wealthy, you simply won’t get the money you need by suing an individual. In most cases, it’s an insurance company that pays out on negligence claims. Consider a car accident. Even though it was the driver that was to blame for hurting you, the driver’s insurance company is who will be paying for your losses. That is what insurance is for: to protect people from financial liability after they’ve caused damage or injury. Even though we all understand the purpose of insurance coverage, we also must understand that insurance companies are private businesses. These are not non-profit groups dedicated to helping people. These are smart, savvy companies that want to turn a significant profit. Insurance is big business. What that means for you is that you can’t simply make a request for a settlement and expect to receive your money without question. The insurance companies will question every part of your claim. If they can get out of paying, they will, so you must be careful when dealing with insurance companies. Many insurers have methods that assist them in avoiding financial responsibility. One method is to lower your claim’s value. For example, an insurance company may try to record a statement over the phone, hoping you’ll slip up and admit fault so that they can pay you less in compensation. Be very careful when you speak with insurers—or better yet, have your personal injury lawyer in Chicago talk with them on your behalf. That way, you won’t have to worry about accidentally saying the wrong thing and getting less compensation as a result. Have Questions? Call 312-332-1400 OR Click here for a FREE consultation

Serious Injuries Lead to Serious Losses If you’ve been in an accident, it’s possible that you’ve suffered a catastrophic injury. These types of injuries go far beyond a few bumps and bruises. With serious injuries, your entire life will be changed by the accident, and you will likely need financial help. In order to prepare for the future, filing a Chicago personal injury claim is the only way to receive enough financial security to live with an injury of this magnitude. See below for a list of serious injuries that will require serious compensation: Spinal damage

Broken bones

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)

Severe burn injuries

Internal injuries

Loss of limb All of these injuries are different, and they will affect everyone differently, but the one thing they have in common is that they will lead to extensive monetary losses. Each injury in the above list will require months—if not years—of medical treatment. You may not be able to work for a time, and in some cases, you may not be able to work ever again. Compensation will be necessary for you to regain a good quality of life. Have Questions? Call 312-332-1400 OR Click here for a FREE consultation

Monetary Compensation for Your Chicago Personal Injury Claim When you file a personal injury claim, your goal is to receive compensation that will cover your monetary losses. Depending on how serious your injuries are, your monetary losses could be relatively small, or they could be quite large. Economic losses are the monetary damages you’ve sustained. Non-economic losses concern the way that your accident and related injuries have affected your life. See the list below to get a better idea of the different damages you can request in an injury claim: Pain and suffering damages

Medical care, including medications, hospital visits, copays, surgeries, expensive treatments

Missed income and loss of future income

Permanent disability

Permanent injury, scarring, or disfigurement

Mental trauma

Physical rehabilitation and mental health services

Loss of enjoyment of life Have Questions? Call 312-332-1400 OR Click here for a FREE consultation

Get in Touch with a Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer You’ve suffered enough at the hands of a careless person; you shouldn’t have to suffer any further. Filing an injury claim may be the answer to getting the financial compensation you deserve. When you file a claim, you can expect to recover all your losses, both monetary and non-monetary. The claims process isn’t easy, however. Getting help with your injury claim is the best decision you can make. You need the experience of a personal injury attorney to assist you in investigating your wreck, collecting evidence, proving fault, and arguing your case with an insurance company or in court. No law says that you have to do this on your own. Partner with a Chicago personal injury lawyer to see the positive claim results you’re after. You deserve to receive the maximum available compensation for your case. You focus on healing and putting your life together. Our firm will focus on getting you paid. Call Lane & Lane, LLC for a free case review at 312-332-1400, or simply complete the form below. Have Questions? Call 312-332-1400 OR Click here for a FREE consultation