Injuries can be painful and expensive, and the whole ordeal can be even more frustrating knowing that your injuries are someone else’s fault. If this sounds familiar, you might have a personal injury claim on your hands. Speak to an attorney about filing your claims and getting financial compensation for your costs, injuries, and painful experiences.
Personal injury claims take many forms, and our office has worked on a vast array of cases. You might be injured in a car crash, in an airport, or on someone’s rickety front steps, and the person or people responsible should be held liable. Be sure to speak to an attorney soon, as you have a limited time to prepare and file your case. If this time passes with no case being filed, you might have little to no other legal options for financial compensation for damages like medical bills, pain, and suffering.
Get a free claim assessment from our Chicago personal injury attorneys by calling the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502.
Personal Injury Claims Frequently Handled by Our Oak Park, IL Personal Injury Attorneys
Part of what makes finding the right attorney to handle your case is that personal injury law covers a huge variety of cases, accidents, and injuries. How your accident happened might determine how the case must be handled and what laws apply. For example, if you were involved in a car accident, you would not hire a lawyer who only handles construction site accidents. Below are just a few of the cases our team has handled.
Vehicle Collisions
Auto accidents are practically a daily occurrence, often leading to personal injury cases. Injuries in car accidents tend to range and can be somewhat unpredictable. The cars are sometimes totally smashed, but the drivers miraculously walk away largely unharmed. In other cases, drivers are badly hurt even though the accident appeared less severe from the outside. Either way, you have the right to sue for your damages with the help of our personal injury attorneys, whether or not your injuries are debilitating or life-altering. Even minor injuries deserve justice and compensation.
Slip and Fall Injuries
A slip and fall case is one of the most classic examples of a personal injury case. When walking around town, running errands, or visiting friends, the risk of a slip and fall accident is everywhere. Perhaps the most frequently referenced example is slipping and falling on an icy walkway in the winter. The owner of the property where you fell may be held liable, depending on the circumstances. Generally, property owners owe a duty to guests to keep their property safe. If they fail to do so and you are injured by hazardous conditions on their property, you can sue them for damages.
Aviation Accidents
When people think of aviation accidents, they probably think of terrible crashes where there are few, if any, survivors. While these awful accidents sometimes happen, there are many other ways you might be injured in an aviation-related accident. In severe cases, you can sue an airline for your injuries if you survive a plane accident. In a less severe accident, you might be hit by a motorized cart in the airport and badly hurt. Either way, you can sue the airport for your injuries.
How Much Time You Have to File a Personal Injury Case in Oak Park, IL
People are often surprised when they are injured in accidents. They might not know who to contact about taking legal action or what their rights are regarding their claim. It is perfectly understandable to take some time to recover from your injuries and explore your legal options, but you should try to file your case as soon as you can.
The statute of limitations in Illinois for personal injury claims can be found under 735 I.L.C.S. § 5/13-202 and imposes a strict time limit of 2 years. Your time limit, known as the limitation period, begins on the day you are initially hurt. The clock may only be stopped, buying you extra time, under very specific conditions. Not fully realizing or understanding the statute of limitations is not a valid excuse for more time.
The statute of limitations may be tolled if there is a valid reason why the clock counting down your limitation period should be paused. For example, tolling for minors or disabilities is explained under § 5/13-211(a). If a plaintiff was a minor when they were hurt, the limitation period is tolled until they are 18, and they have until they are 20 to file claims. Suppose the plaintiff lives with a mental condition or disability that prevents them from taking legal action or fully understanding their rights. In that case, they may have the statute tolled until their disability is removed.
Claiming Damages in an Oak Park, IL Personal Injury Case
Financial compensation in a personal injury case is based on the plaintiff’s damages. Damages represent injuries, losses, and experiences incurred and endured by the plaintiff as a direct result of the defendant’s actions. Many damages are awarded to compensate for these losses, while others are meant to serve as a punishment for the defendant’s behavior.
Compensatory damages may be awarded to make up for specific losses incurred by the plaintiff. These damages include economic costs of the injuries and accidents and non-economic injuries, such as painful experiences. The extent of these damages and how much compensation they account for may vary from case to case and should be thoroughly discussed with a lawyer.
Some examples of economic damages common in personal injury cases include medical costs, lost wages from missing work due to injuries, property damage, and the cost of traveling to and from medical treatment. If you incurred other expenses directly connected to your accident, keep track of the costs and bring them up with your lawyer.
Non-economic injuries are more amorphous as they are not necessarily connected to monetary costs. Instead, these damages revolve around emotional and physical costs. Physical pain from your injuries, psychological suffering, and a loss of enjoyment from your life are just a few examples of non-economic damages.
Contact Our Oak Park, IL Personal Injury Lawyers for Legal Assistance
Get a free claim assessment from our personal injury attorneys by calling the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502.
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