Accidents happen all the time, and people often claim that they never meant to cause an accident or hurt anyone. While the other person might not have intended harm, they should still be held responsible. Your injuries might be extremely painful and expensive to deal with, and the other person should have to cover your damages and provide fair compensation.
Personal injury cases can be very complicated, and most people are not equipped to handle them alone. It is in your best interest to hire an experienced personal injury attorney to help you evaluate your claim, develop effective legal strategies, and file important legal documents and paperwork. On top of that, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible, as you have limited time to file your case, and the clock might already be ticking. We need as much time as possible to evaluate your damages so that you get all the compensation you rightfully deserve. To support your claim for these damages, we need as much evidence as we can get, which may also take time to gather.
Call our personal injury lawyers with the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502 to get a private initial case review free of charge.
Why You Should Hire a Lawyer to Assist You with Your Urbana, IL Personal Injury Case
People tend to resist contacting lawyers and taking legal action because the whole thing often feels very daunting. While a personal injury case can be a large undertaking, your attorney’s job is to make it as easy for you as possible. Our personal injury lawyers will review your claims to make sure that you have a valid cause of action. We can also determine how strong your case is, whether you have a good chance of succeeding in court, or if other legal options might better suit your needs.
Next, your attorney can assist you in determining how to pursue your claims. Is a full trial the best option, or would an insurance claim get you everything you need? Still, you might benefit from a private settlement with the defendant. Each option may work, but your attorney can help you determine which works best for your specific situation.
Once we know how we will approach the case, we can take steps to initiate your legal action. A lawsuit begins with a formal complaint filed with the court. The complaint is a complex legal document we must write ourselves, and it sets the tone for the remainder of the case. A settlement begins with negotiations, which can be difficult if the defendant is unwilling to cooperate. If you want to file an insurance claim, your lawyer can help you file the claim and deal with pushback from the insurance company.
When to File Your Personal Injury Case in Urbana, IL
When filing a personal injury case in court, time is of the essence. You might want to take some time to think about all your legal options as well as recover from your injuries. This is perfectly fine, and you should take the time you need, but be mindful of how long you wait. If you do not file your case on time, you might never be able to do so.
The statute of limitations imposes a strict time limit on plaintiffs filing injury claims. According to 735 I.L.C.S. § 5/13-202, a plaintiff must file a personal injury case no later than 2 years after the initial accident. This might seem like plenty of time but do not be fooled. Many plaintiffs spend months preparing their cases with their lawyers before anything is filed. The longer you wait to get started, the more time you lose, and the harder it might be to prepare your claims effectively.
Tolling the limitation period might be possible under very specific conditions. Tolling allows the plaintiff to put the statute of limitations on pause, buying them additional time to file. Under § 5/13-211(a), tolling is often available for those who were minors when they were injured or under a “legal disability.” If you were under 18, you may have the 2-year limitation period tolled until you turn 18, giving you until age 20 to file the case.
A legal disability is often a mental condition that prevents a person from understanding their rights or otherwise taking legal action on their own. If this applies to you, you may have the limitation period tolled until the disability is removed. However, the limitation period may not be tolled for a legal disability for more than 10 years.
Claiming Damages in Urbana, IL Personal Injury Cases
Your potential compensation is based on your damages, which represent your losses, costs, and injuries from the accident. While many damages are assessed based on their cost, others are based on unique personal experiences and may be highly subjective.
Non-Economic Injuries
Your non-economic damages reflect the unique personal experiences you endured as a result of the accident. Often, these damages are referred to collectively as “pain and suffering,” but they are so much more than that. You may claim damages for the physical pain of your injuries and the mental or emotional trauma of the accident. In addition, you might claim damages related to scarring or disfigurement, humiliation, the loss of enjoyment of your life, and other painful experiences.
Economic Losses
Your economic damages are rooted in the financial costs of the accident and your injuries. First, we should think about how much money you spent on medical care. Even when injuries are not severe, medical bills can be very high. Medical care is known for being very expensive, even under the best of conditions.
In addition, we should consider the value of property you might have lost. For example, if your vehicle was damaged in a car accident, we should include repair costs in your damages.
In some cases, injured victims cannot return to work for a while, and they might lose income as a result. We can estimate the value of the income you have lost and make sure it is accounted for in your damages.
Get in Touch with Our Urbana, IL Personal Injury Attorneys
Call our personal injury lawyers with the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502 to get a private initial case review free of charge.
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