Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer

Each state sets a statute of limitations dictating how long a victim of an accident has to bring a claim against the defendant in court. In Illinois, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of the accident for personal injury claims. Therefore, you must gather evidence, negotiate with the defendant, and file a claim within two years. This is why you must speak to a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible so that you don’t miss important deadlines.

Being in an accident is stressful and often confusing. If you’re like most people, this wasn’t something that you planned for in advance.

However, as in most stressful and dangerous situations, you can prepare for the fallout from the accident.

1. Call an ambulance. The first and most important step in a personal injury case is getting the treatment you need. It’s also crucial that you have medical records proving what injuries you sustained in the initial accident so that you can use the evidence in your claim.
2. Call the police. No matter how your injury happened, it’s helpful to have police on the scene to write an accident report. The police report will be extremely helpful for you as you pursue legal action, as it should contain details about how the accident happened, who witnessed it, and who should be held responsible.
3. Take photos. If you are physically able to move around, try to capture some photos of the accident scene and any visible injuries or damage to property. It might also be helpful to check if there is a video camera around that may have caught the details of the accident.
4. Talk to witnesses. Eyewitness testimony is one of the most crucial pieces of evidence for any personal injury claim. Make sure you get contact information for all witnesses around and, if possible, ask them to write down a statement for you. Writing things down right away can help you and the witnesses remember what happened even if your memories get blurry in the weeks ahead.
5. Exchange insurance information. Talk to the at-fault party to get their insurance information so that you can reach out and ask for a settlement when the time comes.
6. Call your insurance company. Be sure to report your accident to your insurance company to get any of the initial financial help they can provide. However, never say anything that someone could construe as admitting guilt. Carefully relay the details of your accident without any apologies or admissions.
7. Call a personal injury lawyer. As soon as you can, get in touch with a personal injury lawyer in Chicago to start building your case. They can help you gather all the evidence you’ll need for your claim and get in touch with the right people to negotiate a settlement.
8. Keep records. As you embark on the healing process, be careful to keep hold of any medical records, medical bills, receipts for repairs to damaged property, receipts for medical equipment or medication, etc. You should also start an injury journal and record your thoughts and feelings so that you can use that as evidence of your suffering in your complaint.

If you follow these steps, you’ll have a much stronger case when it’s time to fight. Your lawyer will help you if you’re confused about anything, so be sure to contact them as soon as you can.

It can be challenging to prove who is at fault in a personal injury accident. That’s why legal help is always so important—lawyers know the law well and can make sure you don’t miss even a piece of evidence that could be relevant. To prove who is responsible, the main thing you’ll need is evidence.

If possible, collect:

• Medical records and bills.
• Receipts for repairs to your vehicle, your bike, or other damaged property such as a damaged cell phone.
• Photos or video recordings from the accident scene.
• The police report, if applicable.
• Witness statements.
• A journal of the suffering you have endured since the accident, personally, financially, and physically.
• Witness evidence from your family and friends that corroborates what you record in your journal.
• Expert testimony from medical professionals who can testify to the potential future effects of your injuries.

Don’t worry if this seems a bit overwhelming. A good personal injury lawyer will help you gather the evidence you need so that you don’t have to worry about missing anything important.

Most personal injury cases settle out of court, but the settlement process alone can take some time. If your case ends up going to court, you may deal with your claim even longer as lawyers work on gathering evidence and presenting their case before a judge and jury. The typical process of a personal injury civil claim goes like this:

1. Call a lawyer for a free consultation. On the call, you’ll discuss your claim, how the lawyer thinks it will go, and if they want to work with you to resolve it.
2. Meet with your lawyer. At the meeting, you’ll go over the case in more detail and make the final decision about working together. Once you’ve decided, you can sign a contract and grant your lawyer the right to act as your legal representative in gathering evidence.
3. Begin gathering evidence. You and your lawyer will work together to compile records, bills, receipts, and any other important evidence that you need to file an initial complaint.
4. File a complaint. Initially, your lawyer will send a letter of complaint to the defendant and their insurance company, detailing the circumstances of the accident and how it has affected your life.
5. Receive a response. Upon receiving the complaint, the defendant has a specified amount of time in which they must respond, either denying your claim or making an initial settlement offer.
6. Continue gathering evidence. Now, your lawyer and the lawyer or insurance company of the defendant will work on gathering further evidence. They will share evidence gathered separately and take interrogatories (written questionnaires) and depositions (verbal questioning) of each party and witnesses involved in the case.
7. Negotiate. You and your lawyer will work together to negotiate a settlement with the defendant. The defendant will make you an offer, and you will decide whether to accept it. In most cases, there will be several rounds of negotiations before a settlement favorable to both parties is reached.
8. Go to court. If you and the defendant simply can’t agree on a settlement, you’ll have to move your case to court to be tried before a judge and jury.
9. Argue your case. In court, your lawyer will argue your case for you and likely call upon you and your family, friends, and other witnesses to give evidence at the hearings.
10. Receive a verdict. The judge and jury will hand down a verdict specifying the amount of settlement you deserve and how you will receive that settlement. Your lawyer will help you get your settlement check so that you can pay off your remaining expenses and use the rest of the money as you see fit.