A serious injury can have a dramatic impact on the rest of a person’s life and cause various types of hardships. Physically, an injured person may need to endure multiple doctor’s appointments, medical procedures, and surgeries to return to their pre-accident state. Emotionally, they may struggle with depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress. An injured victim may also face economic hardships as they face mounting medical bills. The financial burden may be even worse if their injury affects their ability to work and earn money.
Fortunately, an experienced personal injury attorney could offer legal help to those in this situation. If you suffered a serious accident caused by another person’s negligence, a Decatur personal injury lawyer could help you pursue compensation from the responsible party.
Common Types of Personal Injury Claims in Decatur
A variety of accidents may warrant a civil suit. In Decatur, personal injury claims often involve the following types of incidents:
- Car Accidents
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Dog Bites
- Slip And Falls
- Asbestos And Mesothelioma
- Bicycle Accidents
- Bus Accidents
- Catastrophic Injury
- Child Injury
- Construction Accident
- Farm Injury
- Medical Malpractice
- Nursing Home Abuse
- Paraquat & Parkinson’s Disease
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Premises Liability
- Train Accidents
- Workers’ Compensation
- Wrongful Death
Most personal injury claims involve preventable accidents resulting from a defendant’s negligence or recklessness. A seasoned attorney with experience in a wide variety of Decatur personal injury cases could investigate potential claims for evidence of negligence by the potential defendants.
Finding the Best Decatur Injury Lawyer for Your Case
It is important to find the right lawyer or legal team to help you with your case. Here are factors to consider in determining what Decatur accident attorney might be the best for your injury case:
- Experience handling cases like yours
- Testimonials and reviews from former clients
- Past results in cases similar to yours
- Peer reviews from other lawyers
- Do they only handle injury cases?
- Membership in key organizations that fight for injured people, like the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association or American Association for Justice
- Recognition from industry publications and organizations
- Responsiveness, kindness, and compassion of the lawyer and their team, and
- Your level of comfort working with the lawyer and their team
Time Limits on Personal Injury Claims
After suffering an injury, your first priority should be to seek medical treatment and care. Once your injuries have been tended to, it is crucial to get legal advice as soon as possible. A skilled attorney could review the details of the accident and interview witnesses while the memory is still fresh. Additionally, time is of the essence in personal injury claims because victims generally only have two years from the date of an accident to file a lawsuit, as stated in 735 ILCS 5/13-202. However, some cases have only a one-year statute of limitations. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer could further explain the relevant deadlines for filing a claim in Decatur, depending on the circumstances. The best way to find out what deadlines apply to your case is a free consultation with an experienced injury lawyer.
Comparative Fault
In some cases, an injured person shares some fault for an accident. In those cases, the principles of comparative fault apply. 735 ILCS § 5/2 1116 provides that plaintiffs who are less than 50 percent responsible for causing the accident that led to their injuries can still recover for their damages.
However, the recovery in these situations are decreased by the degree of fault of the injury victim. For example, if an individual is 20 percent at fault for causing their accident, they can seek a maximum of 80 percent of their total damages.
Reach Out to a Decatur Personal Injury Attorney Today
If you suffered harm caused by someone else, reach out to an experienced Decatur personal injury lawyer. The seasoned attorneys at our firm could help investigate your case and advise you on an effective legal strategy for your situation. Give us a call today to schedule your free initial consultation.
