Personal Injury

Arlington Heights Personal Injury Lawyer

Life can be unexpected. When an accident happens, you need someone on your side to help you pick up the pieces. An Arlington Heights personal injury lawyer from Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. has the knowledge and experience to help.

Our personal injury lawyers know that victims need money to pay medical bills and cover lost wages. That’s why our focus is to help you get the compensation you deserve. You can focus on healing while we handle the legal details.

Contact our Illinois personal injury attorneys today at (312) 236-2900 or use our online contact form to schedule your free consultation.

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle

A personal injury case is a type of civil lawsuit that arises when one person is injured by another party’s wrongful conduct. The purpose of a personal injury lawsuit is to compensate the injured person for their losses, which can include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Some of the different types of personal injury claims that often occur in Arlington Heights include:

Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. has helped a wide array of victims with their personal injury cases.

What Kind of Injuries Do Accidents Cause?

The type of injuries in a personal injury accident can vary depending on the type of accident, the severity, and the victim’s health. Some injuries may be minor and heal quickly, while others can be serious and permanently impact your life.

The most common injuries in a personal injury accident are:

Whiplash: Whiplash is a neck injury that occurs when the head is suddenly snapped forward and then backward. It is a common injury in car accidents, but it can also occur in other types of accidents, such as slip and falls.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A TBI is a brain injury that is caused by a sudden impact to the head. TBIs can range from mild to severe, and they can have a variety of long-term consequences, including memory loss, difficulty concentrating, and personality changes.
Spinal Cord Injury: A spinal cord injury is an injury to the spinal cord, which is a bundle of nerves that runs down the back. Spinal cord injuries can cause paralysis, loss of sensation, and other problems.
Broken Bones: Broken bones are a common injury in all types of accidents. The severity of a broken bone depends on the type of bone that is broken and the location of the break.
Soft Tissue Injuries: Soft tissue injuries are injuries to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. These injuries can be painful and debilitating, and they can take a long time to heal.
Burns: Burns may vary in severity, but they are common in motorcycle accidents and serious car and truck accidents. One major risk of burns is infection.
Paralysis: Paralysis happens when a part of the body can no longer be controlled. This is common when there is a spinal cord injury.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): PTSD is a psychological disorder that can result in fear, anxiety, depression, and other issues related to the accident that occurred.

If you have been injured in a personal injury accident, it is important to seek medical attention immediately. Even if you do not think your injuries are serious, it is important to have them evaluated by a doctor. A doctor can diagnose your injuries and develop a treatment plan to help you recover.

What Are Illinois Personal Injury Laws?

Illinois personal injury laws are designed to protect the rights of people who have been injured by the negligence of others. These laws establish the rules for filing personal injury lawsuits and the types of damages that can be recovered.

Statute of Limitations in Arlington Heights, Illinois

One of the most important Illinois personal injury laws is the statute of limitations. This law sets a deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit. In Illinois, the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits is two years. This means that you must file your lawsuit within two years of the date of your injury, or you will lose your ability to obtain maximum compensation no matter how strong your case is.

What Is Negligence?

Negligence is a legal term that refers to the failure to act with the level of care that a reasonable person would have exercised under the same circumstances. Negligence can be either intentional or unintentional, but it is always a wrongful act.

In order to prove negligence in a court of law, the plaintiff must show the following elements:

The defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care
The defendant breached that duty
The breach caused the plaintiff’s injuries
The plaintiff has actual damages

Comparative Negligence in Arlington Heights, Illinois

Another important Illinois personal injury law is the comparative negligence law. This law states that even if you are partially at fault for your own injury, you may still be able to recover damages from the person who caused your injury. However, your damages will be reduced by the percentage of fault attributed to you. For example, if you are found to be 20% at fault for your own injury, your damages will be reduced by 20%.

What Kind of Compensation is Available in a Personal Injury Claim?

There are multiple types of damages that you can recover in a personal injury insurance claim, including economic damages and non-economic damages.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are monetary losses that are incurred because of personal injury. They are also known as special damages or pecuniary damages. Economic damages are designed to compensate the injured person for the financial losses they have suffered because of their injuries.

Examples of economic damages include:

Past and Future Medical Costs: This includes the cost of all medical treatment related to the injury, including doctor’s visits, hospital stays, surgery, and medication.
Lost Wages: This includes the amount of money that the injured person has lost due to being unable to work because of their injuries.
Property Damage: This includes the cost of repairing or replacing any property that was damaged in the accident.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses: This includes any other expenses that the injured person has incurred as a result of their injuries, such as travel expenses, childcare expenses, and home modification costs.
Loss of Earning Capacity: This is the amount of money that the injured person is expected to lose in the future due to their injuries.

Economic damages are calculated by adding up the cost of all the injured person’s financial losses. In some cases, it may be necessary to use experts, such as economists and accountants, to calculate the value of economic damages.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages, also known as general or intangible damages, are monetary losses that are incurred because of a personal injury that are not financial in nature. They are designed to compensate the injured person for the non-financial losses they have suffered because of their injuries, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Examples of non-economic damages include:

Pain and Suffering: This includes the physical and emotional pain and suffering that the injured person has experienced because of their injuries.
Emotional Distress: This includes any mental or emotional problems that the injured person has experienced because of their injuries, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Loss of Enjoyment of Life: This includes the loss of the ability to participate in activities that the injured person used to enjoy because of their injuries.
Disfigurement: This includes any physical changes to the injured person’s body that have caused them to feel embarrassed or uncomfortable.
Loss of Consortium: This is a type of non-economic damage that is awarded to the spouse of an injured person for the loss of the injured person’s companionship and support.

Non-economic damages can be difficult to calculate, as they are subjective and intangible. However, there are several factors that can be considered when calculating non-economic damages, such as the severity of the injured person’s injuries, the duration of the injured person’s pain and suffering, and the impact of the injuries on the injured person’s life.

Challenges to Illinois Insurance Claims

There are several challenges that people may face when filing personal injury insurance claims in Illinois. Some of the most common challenges include:

Denials: Insurance companies often deny claims, even if the claims are valid. This can be done for a variety of reasons, such as the insurance company believing that the policyholder is at fault for the accident, the insurance company believing that the injuries are not covered by the policy, or the insurance company simply trying to save money.
Delays: Insurance companies may also delay paying claims, even if the claims are valid. This can be done for a variety of reasons, such as the insurance company needing more time to investigate the claim, the insurance company trying to negotiate a lower settlement amount, or the insurance company simply trying to avoid paying the claim altogether.
Lowball Offers: Insurance companies may also offer lowball settlements to policyholders. This is an attempt to get the policyholder to accept a settlement amount that is much lower than the full value of their claim.
Complexity: The personal injury insurance claims process can be complex and confusing. Policyholders may have difficulty understanding their policies, filing claims, and negotiating with insurance companies.

In addition to these common challenges, people in Illinois may also face additional challenges when filing personal injury insurance claims, depending on the circumstances of their case. For example, people who are filing claims for injuries sustained in car accidents may face challenges if the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured. People who are filing claims for injuries sustained in workplace accidents may face challenges if their employer has workers’ compensation insurance.

Steps to Take After an Arlington Heights Accident

If you are involved in a personal injury accident in Arlington Heights, it is important to take certain steps to protect your rights and interests. Here are some tips:

Seek medical attention. Even if you do not think your injuries are serious, it is important to see a doctor to get checked out. Some injuries, such as whiplash, may not be immediately apparent.
File a police report. This will create a record of the accident and can be helpful if you need to file an insurance claim or lawsuit.
Exchange information with the other parties involved in the accident. This includes getting their names, addresses, phone numbers, insurance information, and license plate numbers.
Document the accident scene. Take pictures of the damage to your vehicle and any other property that was damaged. Also, try to get the names and contact information of any witnesses.
Contact your insurance company. File a claim as soon as possible. Your insurance company may be able to provide you with a rental car and help you pay for your medical expenses.

You should also hire an Arlington Heights personal injury attorney. A lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and options, and can represent you in negotiations with the insurance company.

Useful Evidence for Illinois Personal Injury Cases

Useful evidence in Illinois personal injury cases can vary depending on the specific circumstances of the case. However, some common types of evidence that can be helpful include:

Medical records
Police reports
Witness statements
Photographs and videos
Expert testimony
Accident reconstruction reports
Physical evidence
Cell phone records
Social media posts

If you have been injured in an accident, it is important to gather as much evidence as possible to support your claim. This evidence can be used to negotiate with the insurance company or to prove your case at trial. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you gather and preserve evidence in your case.

Why Should I Call an Arlington Heights Personal Injury Lawyer?

There are many reasons why you should call an Arlington Heights personal injury lawyer if you have been injured in an accident. Here are just a few:

Personal injury lawyers know the law. They are experts in Illinois personal injury law and can help you understand your legal rights and options.
Personal injury lawyers can help you gather evidence and build a strong case. They have the experience and resources to investigate your accident and gather the evidence you need to prove liability and damages.
Personal injury lawyers can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. They know how to negotiate with insurance companies to get you the maximum compensation you deserve.
Personal injury lawyers can represent you in court if necessary. If the insurance company refuses to settle your claim for a fair amount, a personal injury lawyer can represent you in court and fight for your rights.

Let Our Arlington Heights Personal Injury Lawyers Help You

Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. can give you the peace of mind you need after a personal injury in Arlington Heights. We offer free consultations with no upfront costs. When you call us, we will listen to your story and compassionately help you decide the best steps forward.

Call our Arlington Heights personal injury attorneys today at (312) 236-2900 or use our online contact form to reach out and schedule a free, no-risk consultation.