Although injury law is a legal specialization in its own right, the term encompasses a broad range of damages cases, including damage to personal property. An Illinois personal injury lawyer will deal with specific cases involving bodily harm, as well as mental and emotional anguish. The Illinois personal injury lawyer will be able to help prove liability on the part of the other party, if necessary and achieve proper redress, usually in the form of monetary damages.
What is the difference between “injury” and “personal injury”?
Although the distinction between these terms are often blurred, personal injury usually refers to a broad range of harm done to another which includes mental and emotional suffering in addition to bodily injuries. When one refers to an injury lawyer, this is usually a lawyer that focuses on accident liability, with cases that relate to claims based on injury along. Some lawyers use these terms interchangeably, and indeed many injury cases will eventually add personal injury claims to maximize the potential damages from the liable party.
What is tort reform and how might it affect my case?
Several states have adopted legislation to limit damages from personal injury cases. Illinois was one state that had capped monetary claims from personal injury cases, but this was found unconstitutional by the Illinois State Supreme Court. Illinois injury lawyers will be up to date on these develops and will keep you informed on limitations that might affect your personal injury claim. Limitations on torts would have included capping damages from lawsuits and the filing of suits that could be perceived by the courts as frivolous.
What should I bring when meeting with an Illinois personal injury lawyer?
If you are working on a personal injury case, you will be making a number of claims, some of which will be difficult to prove. While physical injuries are rather straightforward, you will have to prove such factors as liability, lost wages and emotional suffering. To prove injury liability, bring police, medical and insurance documents related to the injury to the initial consultation with the lawyer. You will want to solidify your claim around bodily injuries before proceeding to other claims for suffering. An Illinois personal injury lawyer will be able to organize your injury claim and present the appropriate evidence to maximize the damages that will be won.
How do I know my Illinois injury lawyer is legitimate?
Many states discipline their lawyers through a unified Bar Association. This Bar Association would set rules of professional conduct and rule on the ethical responsibilities of lawyers practicing in the state. Illinois Bar Associations however, are voluntary, which gives Illinois personal injury lawyers flexibility to choose from state or local Bar Associations. The enforcement mechanism for Illinois personal injury lawyers is the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois. The ARDC maintains conduct records for every active lawyer in Illinois. Each entry in the ARDC Illinois lawyer search will show the date of admission to the bar, contact information and the registration status. This includes lawyers that are voluntarily inactive and thus, not able to practice law. For those without a lawyer in mind, local and state Bar Associations maintain an Illinois lawyer finder to connect the public with their member lawyers. You may use these Illinois lawyer finders without hesitation as these organizations and their members are bound by the same rules of conduct set by the ARDC.
What are the typical rates of an Illinois personal injury lawyer?
An Illinois personal injury lawyer that works on contingency is the best option for your case. Contingency arrangements minimize the costs to the clients and often will cost the client very little if the case is lost. While even in contingency arrangements, there are court and other fees to be paid, a contingency arrangement will help you avoid costly hourly fees or an uncontrollable retainer account. Depending on the arrangement, the Illinois personal injury lawyer will have a greater incentive to end the case quickly, yet maximize the damages paid so the contingency fee will be higher. Ensure that the lawyer is incentivized by a percentage rather than flat fee. A flat fee provides no incentive for the Illinois personal injury lawyer to maximize the damages won.
A retainer is a fee that remains in a trust account. Every time the lawyer performs a service related to your case, he charges this account. Leftover retainer can be returned to the client, but there is also a chance that the attorney will exhaust the retainer and require the client to refill the account. The retainer does not include court costs, which are also paid by the client. However, these fees, such as the fees for filing the case, are fixed. You will usually not need this arrangement when pursuing a personal injury claim and this arrangement can become expensive for lengthy trials that are not settled early.
Take advantage of free consultations when they are available to discuss potential fees and payment arrangements with Illinois lawyers. You may be able to arrange low cost and extended payment for legal services at the discretion of the attorney or law firm.
This Illinois lawyer finder is not a referral service per se, but is actually a means by which you can verify if a lawyer is registered to practice law in Illinois. The ARDC lawyer search consists of a directory search and you must know the name of the lawyer you are searching for. You may use this instead of paying a lawyer referral service to find you an Illinois injury lawyer.
What are questions to ask Illinois injury lawyers?
How does my case relate to Illinois state and local laws?
What are your fees and do you have alternate payment plans?
Are you an active member, in good standing, of the Illinois State Bar Association?
What roles do you play as a member?
Where can I view your ARDC record?
Can I please have all fees in writing?
Do you see any potential flaws in my injury compensation claim?
Can you refer me to another lawyer if you are unable to take my case?
Will my negligent actions affect my award in this case?
