Have you been injured in an accident in Rockford, IL? Did someone else’s negligence cause it? If so, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses.
A Rockford personal injury lawyer at Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers can help you understand your legal rights and create a plan to get you the payment you deserve. Our team has over 30 years of combined experience helping injured people recover compensation.
Call us at (312) 929 2884 to set up a free consultation and learn more about how we can help you.
How Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You Get Compensation After a Rockford Accident
Since 2011, Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers have recovered tens of millions of dollars for our injured clients. Our award-winning Rockford personal injury attorneys are recognized by legal organizations like Super Lawyers and The National Trial Lawyers. Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers is proud to represent clients in Rockford and throughout the greater Chicago, Illinois, area.
We create a unique strategy for each client’s case that includes:
- Investigating the cause of the accident
- Finding out who is responsible
- Filing insurance claims and negotiating with insurance companies
- Collecting evidence and reviewing the documentation
- Consulting with expert witnesses
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit, when necessary
Our team treats every case with the importance and attention that it deserves. We will work endlessly to get you the compensation you need. If you want to hear more about our practice, call us to set up a free consultation.
How To Get to Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers From Rockford, IL
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We Handle a Variety of Personal Injury Cases in Rockford, Illinois
Our lawyers are proud to specialize in a variety of personal injury cases. Personal injury is a broad category of the law, but you want to hire a lawyer who has experience with your particular type of accident or injury. This will affect how your case is negotiated, litigated, and resolved.
Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers routinely represent clients injured in:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Slip and falls
- Swimming pool accidents
- Construction accidents
- While working at their job
- Nursing home accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Exposure to toxic chemicals
- Wrongful death cases
If you have experienced a different type of accident, we may still be able to help. Feel free to call our office for a free consultation so that we can discuss your legal options and see if our experience is a good fit for your case.
What Damages Can I Get In A Rockford Personal Injury Case?
In Rockford, IL, damages are divided into three different categories. Each category has a different purpose and covers certain expenses.
When you file a personal injury lawsuit, you will name the damages that you are seeking from the defendant. Your total damages are the addition of all of the categories. A lawyer can help you calculate your estimated total damages at the beginning of the case so that you have an idea of the value.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are paid for actual monetary losses that happen because of an injury or an accident. Actual monetary losses mean that you actually paid money, will pay money, or lost money. This is the most common form of damages and is fairly easy to calculate because most plaintiffs have bills, invoices, and estimates to prove the amounts.
In personal injury cases, the most common types of economic damages include the cost of medical expenses like:
- Doctor’s visits
- Surgeries
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Medicine
- Medical devices (like prosthetics)
- In-home nursing care
- Transportation to and from appointments
Economic damages can also include lost income in the form of:
- Lost wages (past and future)
- Lost future earning capacity
- Lost benefits (like sick days or vacation days)
- Lost commissions
- Lost bonuses
Furthermore, economic damages may include other expenses such as:
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Domestic services
You should keep track of all of your expenses that happen (or will happen in the future) because of the accident. Your lawyer will help you collect evidence and calculate the damages so that you can seek reimbursement.
Don’t assume that something isn’t covered merely because it’s not a medical bill. You are entitled to all monetary losses related to the accident, not just doctor’s visits.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are different from economic damages because their purpose is to reimburse you for non-financial losses. A non-financial loss is usually an accident or injury’s emotional or psychological impact.
Non-economic damages are highly personal and dependent on the specific impact of the accident on your life. In many cases, we will seek reimbursement for:
- Pain and suffering (physical and emotional)
- Mental anguish
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Permanent disability
- Mental illness
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
Sometimes your non-economic damages are higher than your economic damages. That’s because many courts use the multiplier method to calculate the value. This is when they take the total of your economic damages and multiply it by a number between 1.5 – 5. That number represents your non-economic damages.
You should consult with your lawyer to see if that is how your non-economic damages will be calculated. They can rely on experience and knowledge to give you an estimate.
Punitive Damages
It makes sense that a defendant is responsible for your financial losses and pain and suffering after an accident. However, in Rockford, a defendant may also be responsible for punitive damages depending on the facts of the case.
Punitive damages are used as extra punishment for a defendant who acted willfully, intentionally, or fraudulently. In these types of cases, the defendant was grossly negligent and usually did more than just make a one-time mistake. Punitive damages are up to the judge or jury to award after a trial.
An example of cases where punitive damages may be awarded is road rage or drunk driving accidents. In these cases, the defendant made an intentional decision to drive dangerously. This is different from forgetting to check your rearview mirror before merging.
They may also be awarded in civil cases based on assault and battery, where the defendant intentionally hurts someone and causes an injury. Again, that fact pattern is different from someone who accidentally trips someone and causes an injury.
Punitive damages can significantly increase your total award. You should discuss punitive damages with your lawyer and see if they may be an option in your case.
What Happens if I Am Blamed for Causing My Injury?
Sometimes, accident victims get blamed for contributing to the cause of an accident or the worsening of their injuries. This is less than ideal, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that your case is over.
If you are blamed for causing your accident, you should immediately hire a lawyer if you haven’t already. A lawyer can help you minimize the blame and put you in the best position to still recover damages.
That’s because Illinois follows a modified comparative fault rule. Modified comparative fault means that a plaintiff can still recover money for their losses as long as they are no more than 50% responsible for the accident. If they are 51% or more to blame, they can’t recover anything at all.
So, let’s say that you are 25% responsible for causing a car accident. At the end of your case, you can recover 75% of your damages. The total amount is reduced by the percentage of your responsibility.
Don’t assume you are out of luck if you are getting blamed, but do make sure you speak to a lawyer and understand how to mitigate the consequences.
What Is the Cost of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer in Rockford, IL?
The cost of a Rockford personal injury lawyer will vary depending on the value of your case. Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers works for a contingency fee. A contingency fee is an arrangement where a lawyer takes a set percentage of the final award. This is instead of paying the lawyer hourly or every month.
A contingency fee is great for plaintiffs because it allows everyone to access legal advice. You won’t need to pay any money out of pocket. If your lawyer loses the case, you won’t need to pay any attorney’s fees.
How Long Do I Have To File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Rockford?
In Rockford, you have two years to file a personal injury or wrongful death case. If you miss this deadline, then you will lose your chance to recover any compensation through the courts. Two years may seem like a long time, but it goes by quickly. A lawyer will help you keep track of the statute of limitations and other important dates.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Rockford Personal Injury Attorney
If you’re ready to speak with a Rockford personal injury lawyer, Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers is available for a free consultation. We are ready to hear your story and discuss how we can help you recover the money you deserve to become whole again.
Other Cities we serve:
- Aurora, IL
- Bloomington, IL
- Champaign, IL
- Decatur, IL
- Elgin, IL
- Evanston, IL
- Joliet, IL
- Naperville, IL
- Peoria, IL
- Schaumburg, IL
- Springfield, IL
- Waukegan, IL
