Glenwood Personal Injury Attorney
Award-Winning Legal Counsel in English and Spanish
An injury from someone else’s careless actions can be devastating. You have to deal with the monetary costs and the emotional toll a traumatizing injury can leave behind. It’s important to you to hold the negligent party accountable, and rightly so.
At Panio Law, we understand how emotionally draining and physically painful it can be to go through an accident. That is why we offer compassionate guidance to help you make important legal decisions regarding your case.
Call our Glenwood attorney at (708) 928-8680 to schedule your free case evaluation.
What Is Personal Injury?
The term “personal injury” refers to a host of legal situations related to accidental injuries due to negligence. Some cases may be a serious as a wrongful death due to malpractice or a traumatic brain injury from an accident caused by distracted driving. Other cases could involve premises liability where one person may slip on an incorrectly labeled wet floor.
Regardless of the injury, personal injury claims are unique due to the presence of negligence. Negligence is a term used by lawyers to describe a situation where someone has willfully ignored a set of responsibilities or rules, and someone else gets hurt as a result. If negligence is a factor in your accident, odds are you may have a personal injury case.
Personal Injury in Illinois
One crucial factor to remember when considering a personal injury claim is your state’s laws regarding negligence, reporting, and scope of injury. Every state punishes negligence differently. For example, in some states, you have to be less than 50% at fault for the accident to receive any damages.
In Illinois, you must file a personal injury claim within two years of the accident to have a case. This rule is often called the “statute of limitations,” and your insurance company will likely follow this rule as well when determining whether to take your claim.
Another factor in Illinois personal injury cases is fault. As mentioned previously, negligence plays a significant role in all personal injury cases. Fault is an essential element also, and in Illinois, the court follows either the comparative fault or modified comparative fault rule.
Fault
Essentially, the comparative fault rule comes into play when more than one person may be responsible for the accident. For example, you are shopping at the grocery store. As you walk among the aisles, you look down to check the grocery list instead of watching where you are going. Suddenly, you find yourself in pain and on the ground, and you notice that you have slipped on a wet floor.
In this case, you are partially at fault for not being aware of your surroundings, but the store is also responsible if there was no wet floor sign. Typically, the court will assign a percentage of fault to you and the store and reward damages accordingly.
The percentage is deducted from the total damage amount. This means that if the total amount is $10,000, and you are at least 10% at fault, your damage award is $9,000. If you are more than 50% at fault, you will not receive any damages.
If only one party is clearly at fault for the accident, the court uses the modified comparative fault rule to determine damages.
Pursue the Compensation You Deserve
Injuries result in more than pain and suffering. You may lose wages, experience life-long symptoms, and undergo ongoing treatment, not to mention the emotional pain of an accident. The important thing to remember during this difficult time is that you are not alone.
At Panio Law, our clients matter to us – that is why we work tirelessly to provide the guidance and support they need to get on the road to recovery. Our team of compassionate legal professionals can investigate your accident, build a strong case on your behalf, and support you as you pursue the compensation you deserve.
Don’t wait – schedule a consultation with our Glenwood personal injury attorney today.
