Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer

Areas of Chicago Personal Injury Law

A Chicago personal injury lawyer is kept very busy with the number of car accidents that occur in Chicago. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation there have been 470 fatal crashes so far this year in Illinois. In an average year there are over 90,000 automobile accidents in Illinois. Many of these crashes take place in Chicago. This means that thousands of Chicago residents are going to need to file a personal injury claim this year.

If you go to file a claim for personal injury in Illinois you are subject to certain laws specific to this State. In no place are these laws more used than in Chicago, where personal injury and the claims that result occur daily. A Chicago personal injury claim must be filed within 2 years for any type of personal injury accident. In the case of a defective product personal injury claim, the deadline may be extended another 6 years.

Unlike many States there are no caps what-so-ever on the compensation you can receive from a personal injury claim. There is also no serious injury threshold anywhere in the state of Illinois. As a “Fault” State, it is important to know that the wrong party in a claim will not be able to recover.

Knowing the process of filing a personal injury claim claim can help you to decide the right time to seek the advice of a Chicago personal injury lawyer. It can also help you to be confident in the decisions you make throughout the process. There are several steps to filing a Chicago personal injury claim:

1)File an Initial Claim The first step in the process is filing the initial claim or complaint with the party that is responsible for the injury. In cases where the party at fault is an organization or company, where this complaint goes is not always clear. A Chicago personal injury lawyer can help you understand where this letter goes as well as what information it should contain.

2)Response After you’ve made your complaint or petition, you get an answer. This is the second step in the process of making a personal injury claim in Chicago. Sometimes the answer is a good one and your complaint is approved. Damages requested are paid and your Chicago personal injury claim is resolved. However, more often than not, the claim is denied and further steps are needed in order to make a successful personal injury claim.

3) File A Personal Injury lawsuit If your initial letter is denied, a personal injury lawsuit is the only other course of action. Further meetings and exchanging of information is needed at this step in the process of making a personal injury claim. This step is sometimes called ‘discovery’ because each party in the claim will show what evidence they have to the other side. A meeting known as a deposition may also take place. Here both parties meet and discuss the case. Others such as professionals and witnesses may be brought into a deposition. Having a Chicago personal injury lawyer is a must for this stage in the process.

4)Trial If all else fails, your Chicago personal injury claim will result in a trial. Going to trial is expensive and requires the assistance of a Chicago personal injury lawyer who has spent time in the court room and has experience handling personal injury claims in Chicago.

The laws surrounding a Chicago personal injury claim aren’t always easy to comprehend, but with an understanding of the claims process as well as the help of a Chicago personal injury lawyer, you can be more confident of making a successful personal injury claim.