Oak Lawn, IL Personal injury Lawyer

The phrase “personal injury” has earned an unfair reputation for involving frivolous or made-up claims, but this could not be further from the truth. Personal injuries can be severe, even deadly. An attorney can help you get fair compensation from the responsible defendant.

You should speak to an attorney about possibly filing a personal injury lawsuit if someone else’s negligent behavior caused you physical harm. Personal injury lawsuits can be painful and expensive, and you deserve fair compensation. You can claim various damages related to your injuries, including economic, non-economic, and punitive damages. We need as much evidence as possible to support your damages claims. Evidence might include a vast array of physical objects, testimony of witnesses, and records of your injuries, among other things. Our attorneys can help you prepare your case and submit a formal complaint to the courts.

Give our personal injury lawyers at the Rhatigan Law Offices a call at (312) 578-8502 to schedule a free review of your case in person or remotely.

When You Should Speak to an Oak Lawn, IL Personal Injury Lawyer

The phrase “personal injury” is tossed around in many discussions regarding plaintiffs taking legal action. Although the field of personal injury law is broad, it does not encompass all cases, and many plaintiffs believe they have personal injury claims when they have an entirely different claim. You should speak to an attorney about a personal injury claim if you experienced physical harm because of the actions of another.

The physical harm component is an important factor in personal injury cases. While numerous other injuries may be included in personal injury claims (e.g., property damage), a personal injury claim must involve some bodily harm.

You should speak to an attorney as soon as possible to file your case before the statute of limitation expires. In Illinois, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is only 2 years, according to 735 I.L.C.S. § 5/12-202. Under this law, you only have 2 years from the date your injuries occurred to file a lawsuit. If the date passes and no case has been filed, you risk losing your right to sue and get compensation.

Damages you Can Claim in Personal Injury Cases in Oak Lawn, IL

Your damages reflect the injuries and losses you incurred as a direct result of your personal injuries. Numerous damages might be available, depending on your case, and they can be worth quite a lot of money. Assessing your damages accurately is key to getting the full and fair value of your compensation.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are monetary losses and expenses. In personal injury claims, medical treatment is arguably the biggest source of economic damages. Whether or not your injuries were severe, you should have gotten to a hospital as quickly as possible. For many, medical treatment is extensive, painful, and costly. Even if your injuries were not severe or your treatment was relatively short, medical care is notoriously expensive, and your bills might still be high.

You can also claim other monetary losses related to your injuries. If you were so badly hurt that you could not go back to work, you can claim the value of lost income as part of your damages. You can also claim the costs to repair or replace property that was damaged when you were injured. This is common in car accident cases where injured plaintiffs might have damaged or destroyed vehicles to pay for.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages encompass painful experiences and often do not come with a price tag. You have likely heard people talk about claiming pain and suffering in a lawsuit. While people sometimes scoff at the idea of getting compensation for being in pain, the truth is that you should be compensated for enduring pain caused by someone else’s wrongful actions or negligence.

Non-economic damages involve more than just pain. You can claim emotional trauma, humiliation, and even damage to your reputation if it applies to your case. Talk to your attorney about how your injuries affected your life and overall well-being. There is a good chance you have non-economic damages available that you had not considered.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are awarded to punish defendants for especially shocking or outrageous behavior rather than to compensate plaintiffs for any specific losses. To be awarded punitive damages, you must show by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted with an evil motive or they were so reckless and outrageously indifferent to the high risk of harm associated with their behavior.

Punitive damages are capped under 735 I.L.C.S. § 1115.05(a). Under the law, your punitive damages cannot exceed 3 times your total economic damages. If you are awarded economic damages of $100,000, your punitive damages, if awarded, should not exceed $300,000.

How Our Oak Lawn, IL Personal Injury Attorneys Can Assist You

Our attorneys can help you prepare and file your case so that you can get financial compensation as quickly as possible. Preparing a lawsuit takes much more time and work than many realize. In fact, by the time we file your initial complaint, your damages should be fully evaluated, and we should have enough evidence to back up your claims.

Evidence might come from anywhere and look like anything. For some, this means there is a plethora of evidence to take advantage of. Evidence is harder to come by for others, but this does not mean their claims are invalid. Our attorneys have experience with personal injury cases and know where to look for evidence. Physical evidence, witness testimony, and records of your injuries are all good places to start.

Our legal team can meet with you to discuss your case and begin developing effective legal strategies. To begin, you can meet with us in our offices in Chicago, or we are available to meet over Zoom, a phone call, or otherwise remotely. We have a deep knowledge of statutes, court procedures, and personal injury claims in Cook County, IL, and are prepared to help you get the full and fair compensation you deserve.

Call Our Oak Lawn, IL Personal Injury Lawyers to Discuss Your Case

Contact our personal injury lawyers at the Rhatigan Law Offices by calling at (312) 578-8502 to schedule a free, private assessment of your case in person or remotely.