A wide variety of physical injuries might fall under the legal umbrella of “personal injuries.” Determining whether you have a strong case or just an accident is not always easy. We can help you determine if you have a valid legal claim.
Personal injury cases encompass a broad spectrum of injuries and claims, and our team has experience with cases involving auto accidents, animal attacks, medical malpractice, product liability, and more. To back up your claims, you need evidence, and the evidence you need will vary based on the nature of your claims. Your damages might be significant, especially if your injuries are severe. You deserve fair compensation for all the pain and trauma you have endured. Since personal injury cases tend to vary greatly, the people who might be held responsible also tend to vary. While individuals are often held liable, you might also sue organizations, businesses, or even the government for your injuries.
Speak to our personal injury attorneys by calling (312) 578-8502 to set up a confidential case evaluation free of charge with our team at the Rhatigan Law Offices.
Personal Injury Cases Our Schaumburg, IL Personal Injury Lawyers Have Handled
Personal injury law is vast, and numerous accidents, incidents, and injuries might fall under the category of personal injuries. Generally, a personal injury claim involves some kind of bodily harm experienced by the plaintiff. Accidents leading to things like broken bones, cuts, bruises, and other injuries are common in injury cases. You can also file a claim for personal injuries for more serious injuries that leave you with long-term or permanent complications. Brain damage, paralysis, and chronic pain conditions might also be implicated.
Since personal injury law covers a vast array of cases and claims, it is best to hire an attorney with experience with claims similar to yours. Our personal injury attorneys have experience with the following types of personal injury claims:
- Auto Accident
- Bike Collisions
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Uber and Lyft Accidents
- Animal Attacks
- Medical Malpractice
- Product Liability
Evidence to Support Your Claims in an Oak Lawn, IL Personal Injury Claim
Backing up your claims is easier said than done. We need enough evidence to show that you have a valid injury claim and that the defendant is likely the person responsible. For many, evidence is difficult to come by and takes a lot of work. As such, you should discuss your case with an experienced lawyer to deternine where you might find evidence.
Witness testimony is crucial in almost any case. While physical evidence, photos, and even videos are certainly important, witness testimony can be especially powerful. If we can find multiple eyewitnesses whose stories align with yours, we might be able to build a strong case.
Physical evidence is also important, especially in intentional tort cases where the defendant hurt the plaintiff intentionally. If they used a weapon or dangerous instrument, we need the weapon or instrument as evidence. Not only that, but we need evidence that connects the weapon to the plaintiff and shows how they used it to hurt you.
People often overlook records and documentary evidence, which can be extremely important in certain cases. For example, your medical records can help us establish the extent and cost of your injuries and medical treatment. This is important when the plaintiff’s injuries have healed by the time they get to court. If the defendant is a business, we might use certain business records to prove their negligence. For example, suppose you were hurt in a truck accident because the driver claimed they were overly tired and fell asleep. We might use business records of the trucker’s schedule and break times to prove that their employer did not allow them enough time to rest.
Damages and Injuries in Personal Injury Cases in Schaumburg, IL
Claims for personal injuries may encompass a vast assortment of injuries related to accidents, incidents, and even intentional harm. As such, plaintiffs might claim an equally vast assortment of damages. Damages are generally divided into two distinct categories: economic and non-economic damages.
Your economic damages come from the financial costs of personal injuries. Medical expenses are common in personal injury claims and may be considerable, especially for those badly hurt and in need of extensive medical care. Personal injuries involving things like car accidents often involve a great deal of property damage, which should also be evaluated and added to your total economic losses. You can even claim the income you might have lost because you were too injured to work.
Damages for non-economic injuries and losses are unrelated to money, making them harder to assign a dollar value to for purposes of awarding compensation. Your physical pain, emotional trauma and suffering, humiliation, damage to your reputation, and other painful experiences constitute your non-economic damages. Since these experiences do not come with bills or invoices, juries are usually tasked with deciding how much they are worth. We need strong evidence indicating that these damages are severe and that the jury should award significant compensation.
Who You Can Hold Responsible for Your Personal Injuries in Schaumburg, IL
Because personal injury claims involve many possible accidents, incidents, and people, numerous parties might be liable. It is crucial that you meet with an attorney to discuss how your accident happened and who was involved so that they can determine whom to hold responsible.
In auto accidents and collisions on the road, other drivers are often held liable for personal injuries. If you were in your own vehicle, on a bike, or walking down the sidewalk when hit by a car, you can sue the driver for your personal injuries.
If you were injured because someone attacked you, you can sue the assailants. The tricky thing about intentional torts and personal injuries is that the defendants are often charged with criminal offenses related to the incident. Generally, criminal proceedings are given priority over civil claims, and you might have to wait until a criminal trial is complete before your civil lawsuit may commence. The good news is that you can use a guilty verdict or guilty plea as evidence against the defendant.
Sometimes, personal injuries are caused by third parties who are absent when the accident occurs. For example, a person might be injured because the brakes on their new car malfunctioned and failed. The manufacturer of the car and the brakes may be sued for damages even though they were not directly involved in the accident.
Contact Our Schaumburg, IL Personal Injury Attorneys About Your Claims
Speak to our personal injury attorneys by calling (312) 578-8502 to set up a confidential case evaluation free of charge with our team at the Rhatigan Law Offices.