The Chicago personal injury attorneys at Smith LaCien LLP have a long track record of achieving exceptional results for clients, with more than $2.5 billion in verdicts and settlements and some 100 cases with results of at least $1 million. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
Your life has been shattered because of an injury or the death of a family member. None of this was your fault, yet you’re the one left to put the pieces back together – to find and pay for good medical care, to pay bills despite missing work, and to move forward against serious odds. You have the right to demand justice, but what does that look like for you?
The Chicago personal injury lawyers at our law offices in Chicago get justice by holding negligent parties accountable and getting top-dollar compensation for accident victims. Every single day, we go up against powerful insurance companies, big businesses, medical institutions, and other parties that have caused harm due to their careless actions. In the process, our law group has recovered more than $2.5 billion in compensation for people like you. We believe that’s what justice looks like.
At Smith LaCien LLP, our dedicated team of Chicago wrongful death attorneys is committed to fighting for justice on behalf of those who have tragically lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence.
In addition to the speaks-for-itself reputation for results that our law offices have achieved over the past few decades, we have also been recognized by major media for the impressive outcomes we have achieved in groundbreaking cases against major opponents. The New York Times called Todd A. Smith “one of the leading medical malpractice lawyers in Chicago,” while Brian LaCien has been listed among Illinois Super Lawyers.
Our law group has experience settling every type of catastrophic personal injury claim, from car, truck, pedestrian, and bicycle accidents to airport and airplane injuries and fatalities as well as medical malpractice and product liability cases. Contact us today.
Personal injury law is the area of law designed to protect you if you have been injured by the negligence or wrongdoing of another person or corporate entity. It is also known as tort law and covers an array of injuries to a person’s body, emotions or reputation. While a person’s wrongdoing may give rise to a criminal offense for which the wrongdoer is punished, the focus of personal injury law is not the punishment of the offender but restitution to the victim. When a person is injured due to the negligent or wrongful actions of another, they may incur financial losses from their injury. In the case of a motorcycle accident, for example, our Chicago motorcycle accident lawyers can help receive compensation on your behalf for your injuries, emotional damages, damage to the motorcycle, and more.
While the wrongdoer may face criminal actions prosecuted by the state, the wrongdoer’s conviction does not pay for the damages suffered by the victim. The wrongdoer’s conviction serves as punishment for their actions. The focus of personal injury law is not the punishment of the wrongdoer but compensation for the victim’s losses.
When you’ve suffered a serious injury and the harm was preventable if only someone else had taken reasonable care to prevent injury, the person at fault is liable for compensating you for the economic damages you’ve endured as well as for your pain and suffering. The amount is typically paid through the liable party’s insurance. Some common personal injury claims in Chicago include:
In some cases, personal injury cases become cases for catastrophic injury, brain injury, spinal cord injury, or wrongful death cases brought by surviving family members. When a preventable injury causes damages, monetary compensation is the court’s way of providing redress for victims through civil actions.
Proving liability in a personal injury claim requires the plaintiff (injury victim) to prove with a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant was at fault for their injury due to an act of negligence, recklessness, or intentional wrongdoing. A personal injury lawyer will thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the accident and find evidence clearly demonstrating the following:
You may be entitled to compensation for both economic and non-economic losses suffered as a result of your injury. Economic losses are tangible losses that can be objectively determined with documentation like invoices, receipts, and estimates. Economic losses include past and future medical expenses, past and future lost wages, funeral expenses and other property losses.
Non-economic losses, on the other hand, are intangible losses suffered, including pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, and loss of consortium. Non-economic damages are subjective and will vary depending on the jury’s assessment of the victim’s losses. However, experienced personal injury attorneys work with economics experts who can provide evidence to substantiate the value of a victim’s non-economic damages.
The combination of a victim’s economic and non-economic losses makes up the total compensatory or actual damages to which they are entitled to from a personal injury case. To receive financial compensation or punitive damages, a victim must prove their actual damages with compelling evidence. The Chicago car accident lawyers at Smith LaCien, we have the legal expertise and resources to determine the full extent of your actual damages so that you claim the just amount you are entitled to.
Serious injuries can quickly become detrimental to more than just your physical health, they also come with economic ripple effects that can have a negative impact on the entire family. Medical bills may be piling up at the same time that you aren’t able to return to work because you’re undergoing medical treatment and recovering from your injury. A successful personal injury claim can help you recover the following damages:
Gaining compensation for losses caused by someone else’s action or negligent inaction not only helps to open doors to the best medical care and eases financial burdens but it also helps injury victims to achieve justice and closure by holding the person who caused harm accountable.
Nearly 95% of personal injury claims settle out of court so injury victims never have to go before a judge or enter a courtroom. Once your Chicago personal injury lawyer proves liability and calculates your damages, they can make a compelling case to present to the appropriate insurance company and strongly negotiate for an ample settlement. The overwhelming majority of personal injury claims resolve with a settlement, but your attorney from Smith LaCien LLP is also fully prepared to pursue a personal injury lawsuit in court if required to secure your compensation.
While the law may be on your side, time may not be on your side. When you have been injured by the negligence or wrongful act of another, it is important that you speak with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. The law puts time limits on a victim’s right to take action against the party that caused them actionable harm.
When too much time passes between an incident and a claim for personal injury, it increases the possibility that crucial evidence might have been lost, important witnesses may be unavailable, and witness memories may have faded. All of this may negatively impact your personal injury case, so you should take swift action and speak with a personal injury attorney immediately after you have been injured. Our Chicago truck accident lawyers will fight diligently to protect your rights, so do not delay and schedule a free consultation as soon as you are able to.
In Illinois, the time limit for filing a personal injury case is two years. This time limit is also known as the statute of limitations. You may lose your right to compensation for your injury if you do not act quickly.
No matter how an accident occurs, if you were hurt due to someone else’s negligence or wrongful actions, keeping a cool head can better protect your physical and financial future. Taking the right steps can help you to make a successful claim for compensation.
If you’re severely injured, you may be able to do little except wait for help, but if you’re able to safely use your phone—or hand it to someone else to use for you—you should first call 911 to report the accident, and then:
Even in the distressing aftermath of a painful and frightening accident, it’s important to stay calm and take the right steps to protect yourself and your family. Remember, even if you were partly at fault for the accident that caused your injury, according to Illinois’ comparative negligence laws, you can still gain compensation for damages minus your percentage of fault as long as you were less than 50% responsible for the accident.
Every case starts with a free, no-obligation consultation. Serious personal injury cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing if your case does not yield results. Let us know what kind of results you are looking for, and we will let you know the steps we can take to achieve them for you. Call (224) 298-8325 or send us an email today.
