Personal injuries come in a variety of different forms, and every victim is affected in their own way. When a personal injury resulted from someone else’s negligent dereliction of their duty of care, the victim can pursue compensation for their harms in court.
This is possible through a personal injury lawsuit. Personal injury lawsuits can help individuals who suffer injuries through slip and falls, car accidents, product malfunctions, and medical malpractice, to name a few. If successful, a personal injury lawsuit can recover damages for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering, but only if it is filed within the appropriate window of time.
To learn more about when to file your claim and how much you stand to recover, reach out to the dedicated Aurora personal injury lawyers at Rhatigan Law Offices. By calling us at (312) 578-8502 today, you can obtain a free initial case assessment.
Common Types of Personal Injury in Aurora
Personal injury law covers a wide range of situations. Any situation where another party breached a duty of care that they owed to someone else, thereby causing injury to that person, could be considered within the world of personal injury. Our Aurora personal injury lawyers have highlighted just a few of the most common types of personal injury lawsuit below.
Slip and Falls
Whenever a property owner invites someone else onto their property, they are responsible for taking appropriate measures to prevent the visiting party from suffering foreseeable harm. To determine whether the owner met their duties in your case, you will first have to distinguish whether you were a licensee (one who enters the property for the business interests of the owner) or an invitee (one who enters the property with no business interest). Slippery floors, unstable footing, and poor lighting are some of the most common causes of personal injury lawsuits for premises liability in Aurora.
Car Accidents
Every year, car accidents are a leading cause of fault-based injury, not just in Aurora but across the country. However, not every injurious car accident involves two cars or two drivers. In fact, the most serious car accidents are often those involving motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Always call 911 at the scene of your accident and seek immediate medical attention, even if you are not sure whether you have suffered injury.
Defective Products
You can sue for injuries caused by a defective product even if you were not the purchaser of the product, so long as your injuries were a foreseeable consequence of the defective product. Depending on the product in question, the manufacturer or retailer may incur liability if the product is not safe to use as intended or does not feature explicit instructions on safe use. Because liability for a defective product is not always clear, you can benefit from the assistance of a seasoned Aurora personal injury attorney.
Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice causes harm at our most vulnerable points. This could come in the form of new injuries or the unnecessary exacerbation of an existing condition. Surgical errors, misdiagnosis, and prescription errors are some of the most common examples of medical malpractice.
Damages for a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Aurora
Compensation is available for all individuals who suffer harm as a result of someone else’s negligence. When it comes from a court verdict, this compensation is known as damages. It is important for injury victims to know how an Aurora court will calculate damages so that you have an understanding of what your case is worth. This may be difficult to do on your own, so enlist the help of a dedicated Aurora personal injury attorney in your case.
Economic Damages
The first step in calculating your damages will be to assess all of the direct financial consequences that resulted from your accident and injuries. Primarily, this will include all medical expenses incurred from the diagnosis, treatment, and recovery from your injuries. In many cases, you can also claim lost wages, missed career advancement opportunities, and the cost of necessary alterations made to your home in your calculation of economic damages.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are what separates a lawsuit from an ordinary insurance claim. These compensable harms are calculated based on the personal pain and suffering that the victim experiences. The injurious experience as well as the injuries themselves can impact each victim differently, so it is important to discuss your story with a dedicated Aurora personal injury attorney to get a reasonable idea of what your case could be worth.
Punitive Damages
A third type of damages, known as punitive damages, is not available in every case. Illinois courts will only award punitive damages in situations where the defendant’s behavior was intentional or constituted gross recklessness that deserves additional punishment. Discuss the potential for punitive damages in your case with an Aurora personal injury lawyer.
Statute of Limitations for a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Aurora
Personal injury claims are not available forever. According to Illinois’ statute of limitations, personal injury victims generally only have two years from the date of their injury to initiate their court case by filing their formal complaint. While limited exceptions may apply in certain cases that could extend the deadline, courts take the statute of limitations very seriously. If you miss your filing window, you likely will not be able to recover through a lawsuit, so reach out to a seasoned Aurora personal injury lawyer before it is too late.
Talk to Rhatigan Law Offices About Your Personal Injury for Free
When you call the dedicated Aurora personal injury lawyers at Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502 right now, you can get access to a free initial case assessment, a vital step in your ultimate recovery. Call us to learn more today.
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