Posted on September 14, 2023 in Personal Injury

If you have suffered an injury in an accident in Illinois, you may be wondering how long you have to file a lawsuit to seek compensation for your injuries and damages. This is an important consideration, as failing to take legal action with an Illinois personal injury lawyer within the specified time limits can result in forfeiting your right to recover anything. Understanding Illinois’ statute of limitations for personal injury claims is crucial.

What is the statute of limitations in Illinois?

Illinois law sets time limits, known as the statute of limitations, for filing different types of civil lawsuits. For personal injury claims, the statute of limitations in Illinois is two years from the exact day of the accident or injury. This means that you have two years from when your injury occurred to file a lawsuit against the responsible parties.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on September 11, 2023 in Blog

If you file a personal injury lawsuit in Illinois, you will likely have to participate in a deposition with your lawyer - a recorded interview under oath. Being prepared for what to expect during a deposition is crucial for successfully pursuing your injury claim.

Purpose of the Deposition

The deposition allows the other party’s attorney to ask you questions about your lawsuit claims, medical history, and other aspects related to the accident and injuries. Your testimony is given under oath and recorded by a court reporter to be potentially used later if the case proceeds to trial.

Location and Scheduling

Depositions usually take place at the defending attorney’s office. Your lawyer will coordinate scheduling, but the other party generally sets the date and time. Multiple depositions often occur over the course of an injury lawsuit.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on August 29, 2023 in Personal Injury

Settling a personal injury claim involves more than agreeing to a total dollar amount. Understanding how the settlement funds are paid out, liens are addressed, and legal fees are deducted is essential. This article provides an overview of what happens after a settlement is reached so injury victims know what to expect.

The Basic Settlement Payment Process

Typically, the responsible party's insurance provider will issue a payment after reaching a resolution in an Illinois personal injury case, whether through settlement or a court judgment. This payment, made in the form of a check, will be for the entire settlement amount and payable to the plaintiff and their attorney.

The plaintiff’s attorney will deposit the check into a secure trust account. After deducting their agreed-upon attorney's fees and case-related expenses, the lawyer will promptly distribute the remaining sum to the plaintiff.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on August 22, 2023 in Workers' Compensation

Individuals who have developed asbestos-related medical conditions due to occupational asbestos exposure that occurred within the state of Illinois may be eligible to file a claim for workers' compensation benefits. Here are the legally recommended steps:

Receive an Official Asbestos Disease Diagnosis

To ensure accurate diagnosis and establish a potential connection to workplace exposure, it is highly recommended to schedule an appointment with a certified pulmonologist or an occupational respiratory illness specialist. They will conduct a series of comprehensive tests and examinations specifically tailored to asbestos-related conditions. Remember to retain copies of all test results and medical reports for future reference and documentation purposes. 

Document Workplace Exposure Details

Create comprehensive and detailed documentation that encompasses all circumstances related to asbestos exposure within your workplace. This should include a thorough description of job duties performed in the presence of asbestos, the specific timeframe of exposure, identification of asbestos sources, any instances of lacking safety equipment, and any other relevant details. 

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on August 16, 2023 in Personal Injury

Nearly every parent wants their child to be safe on their way to and from school. Whether your children get to school by car, bus, bicycle, or on foot, there are some risks inherent to traveling through school zones. A parent only needs to sit in a car line before school once to understand how chaotic pick-up and drop-off hours can be. Traffic can become extremely congested during the periods just before and after school as hundreds or even thousands of children are arriving and leaving all at once. One may think that because traffic in school zones is typically slow-moving that it might be safer. Unfortunately, even the slow pace of traffic is not enough to create the level of safety most parents hope for. Many drivers are distracted, tired, and in a hurry. These common causes of car accidents create some degree of risk for children, parents, school staff, and passersby. If you or your child is injured in an accident in a school zone, it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible. The faster you call an attorney, the more evidence they may be able to identify and preserve. 

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on August 08, 2023 in Personal Injury

The decision to place an elderly family member in a nursing home is usually made out of concern for their safety. Their needs and health issues may have progressed past a point where family members can safely provide care at home. Often, it takes one or more incident in which the senior could have been harmed before their loved ones make the difficult choice to place them in a skilled nursing facility. Unfortunately, elders in understaffed nursing homes may not be as safe as everyone would like. When a nursing home does not have the manpower needed to adequately supervise and care for all of its residents, there is a risk that one could be injured. If you have a loved one who lives in a nursing home, it is important to check up on them periodically to ensure that they are being well-cared-for. If you notice any signs that your loved one has been neglected, it is important to speak with an attorney right away. A lawyer can help you determine whether your loved one may be entitled to compensation for what happened to them. 

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on July 31, 2023 in Personal Injury

Bicycling is a popular mode of transportation and a recreational activity enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. However, it is important to recognize that bicycle accidents can occur, and they can result in multiple types of injuries, some of which can be severe and life-altering. Many of the most dangerous bicycle accidents will occur when bicyclists are struck by motor vehicles. Negligent drivers may fail to share the road safely with bicycles, or they may commit traffic violations that put bicyclists at risk of being injured in a collision. Cyclists who are involved in collisions may suffer serious bodily harm, and they will need to understand their options for pursuing compensation from a driver who failed to protect their safety.

Injuries That Can Affect Bicyclists in Collisions

Some of the injuries that are most likely to occur in bike accidents include:

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on July 21, 2023 in Personal Injury

A very common factor in semi-truck accidents is driver fatigue. It is not difficult to discern why this may be. Commercial truck drivers work long hours actively driving. Long-distance drivers may do nothing but operate their truck for weeks on end. Anyone who has driven a long distance with few stops can likely understand how this type of work may be tiring. It can be difficult for drivers in personal vehicles and commercial trucks alike to retain perfect focus on the road for extended periods of time. Taking regular rest breaks is essential to helping a semi-truck driver remain well-rested enough to stay focused on traffic around them. There are even federal laws governing how often and for how long CDL drivers must stop to rest. Unfortunately, these laws are not followed perfectly. Fatigued drivers are more prone to causing crashes. If you have been recently injured in a truck accident, an attorney may be able to take steps to determine whether the truck driver involved may have been fatigued due to not taking their mandatory breaks. 

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on July 17, 2023 in Personal Injury

When most think of Workers’ Compensation, they picture construction workers, factory employees, and others in high-risk occupations. Certainly, people who work in these fields are at higher risk of a workplace injury than most. However, white collar workers can and do suffer injuries in their workplace. People who primarily work in office buildings and behind desks are not safe from the risk of a workplace injury. White collar workers enjoy the same rights those in riskier occupations do to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits when they become injured while performing their job duties. The types of injuries and accidents white collar and blue collar workers tend to experience may differ, but the process for filing a Workers’ Compensation claim remains largely the same regardless of what type of job you have. If you have been injured while working in an office, it is important to report the incident right away. You should then seek medical attention and contact a lawyer as soon as you are able to. 

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on July 10, 2023 in Workers' Compensation

It can be very hard to think clearly in the immediate aftermath of an accident. You may feel as if you are in shock as your adrenaline races and your heart pounds after a frightening accident. Or, your accident could be much more mundane, such as tripping over an exposed wire that should have been taped down, or pulling a muscle in your back while mopping the floor. Either way, you may be left wondering what to do. Knowing what steps to take just after you experience a workplace injury can make your Workers’ Compensation claims process far easier. It is advisable to speak with an attorney as soon as possible so that they can provide further instructions and begin gathering the evidence they may need quickly. Unsafe conditions in a workplace are often corrected very promptly once they have injured someone, and your attorney will likely want to preserve evidence of the original condition. 

Steps to Take the Day of a Workplace Injury

Many workers who experience an injury while on the job elect to take a “wait and see” approach to managing the situation. These workers may not say anything right away, but rather, wait to see if their injury feels better on its own in the next day or so. Unfortunately, taking this course of action can make obtaining Workers’ Compensation more difficult or even result in a denied claim. 

Continue Reading ››