Illinois Personal Injury Lawyer
It is called personal injury because what happens to a wounded individual is always personal to them. To present our clients’ stories to the jury, we have to find out what they have been through. The jury won’t be able to comprehend the intimate details of our client’s situation until then.
How Can a Personal Injury Attorney in Illinois Aid in Your Recovery?
Physical, mental, and emotional harm to oneself that compromises one’s physical, mental, or emotional well-being is covered by personal injury legislation. Horwitz Horwitz & Associates’ personal injury lawyers are aware that an injured person’s experience is always personal to them, and we are here to support them.
After suffering significant damage to oneself or a loved one, there is typically a period of time marked by grief, uncertainty, and confusion.
After an Accident, How Are Personal Injury Victims Compensated?
Individuals who incur medical expenses as a result of another person’s carelessness may have a claim for reimbursement. Your prospects of obtaining the full amount of your losses, both economic and non-economic, are higher the more adept your lawyer is at recognizing and articulating them during negotiations or a trial.
Financial Losses
Losses with a monetary value are known as economic damages, and they are frequently linked to paperwork like W-2s or receipts. In a personal injury claim, you may be able to recover the following types of economic damages:
- Equipment and medical care (past, present, and future)
- Physical treatment and rehabilitation
- Loss of earnings potential in the future and lost income
- Unexpected expenses for household upkeep, child care, and transportation
- Property expenditures for items that need to be replaced or repaired
An experienced lawyer will know to search for further related expenses, like the loss of retirement benefits or health insurance given by the employer. If you have a temporary or permanent disability, your attorney may also negotiate and demand home changes.
Non-Financial Damages
In contrast to economic damages, non-economic damages are not quantifiable in terms of money. However, a knowledgeable Illinois personal injury attorney can nonetheless prove these intangible damages in court by assembling evidence. Your attorney may be able to help you obtain the following non-economic damages:
- Physical anguish and suffering, such as deformity and skin scarring
- psychological harm such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, sadness, and a lower quality of life
- loss of consortium that affects a marriage’s stability
- loss of domestic services like cleaning, cooking, and scheduling for the family
- reputational harm to your public persona or social status
It is advisable to speak with a personal injury lawyer about any hardships you may have faced as a result of your injury. In addition to being able to call expert witnesses—such as a psychiatrist who may testify on your behalf—to provide proof of the harm, your attorney will be able to categorize your losses for the court.
Punitive damages are an additional category of damages that may be available in personal injury cases that proceed to trial. These are not limited to your non-economic and economic damages; a judge or jury may award them.
For instance, the court may determine that, in addition to the expenses and damages you are already entitled to compensation for, the individual who injured you in an automobile accident caused you harm if the drunk driver was a repeat offender.
Claims for Wrongful Death
Wrongful death claims are another area of law covered by personal injury laws. You have the right to bring a lawsuit on behalf of a deceased loved one if you are their surviving relative.
In addition to focusing on your losses—such as the loss of the deceased’s income and support—wrongful death claims can also take into account the anguish and suffering your loved one went through prior to their passing. They can also be emotionally taxing due to the loss of their special companionship.
When Is It Time to Speak with an Illinois Personal Injury Lawyer?
The last thing you want to deal with after everything you’ve been through is having to file a challenging insurance claim and be ready for court. Many victims of catastrophic personal injury accidents are hesitant to pursue legal action because they are unsure if they have sufficient evidence to support their claims.
- If you find yourself in a hospital bed, unsure of what to do next, consider the possibility that someone else may have caused your accident or injuries.
- Have your injuries had a significant effect on your life thus far, or do you anticipate them to have one?