Personal Injury Lawyer in Chicago, IL
No matter how carefully we all go through life, the risk is ever-present. Eating right, getting enough exercise, and wearing your seatbelt are all actions that can minimize the prospect of serious injury but never eliminate it. If you’re unlucky and another person seriously injures you through acts that the law considers to be reckless, negligent, or intentional misconduct, you may be able to obtain compensation through a personal injury lawsuit.
Personal injury law in Illinois, Indiana, and other states holds individuals accountable for their actions through payment of monetary damages for the injuries they cause. Due to their complexity, however, personal injury cases can require the knowledge and expertise of personal injury lawyers, such as those at Alvarez Law Office in Chicago. Our personal injury lawyers will work with you to understand the circumstances of your injuries, guide you in gathering evidence, and explain the law in developing a strategy for your case.
What Is Personal Injury?
Personal injury cases cover physical damages to someone’s body, such as broken bones or internal injuries. This area of law also covers non-physical injuries, such as pain and suffering and damages to a person’s reputation. Premises liability and property damage cases fall under different categories of law.
Typically, personal injuries require plaintiffs to establish liability under one or more of three grounds:
- Negligence, which requires showing that the defendant failed to act with reasonable and sensible care expected of people in similar situations.
- Intentional wrongs, where evidence suggests that a person deliberately caused harm, such as a perpetrator of a crime.
- Strict liability, which holds that someone can be held accountable regardless of their intent, such as a company that manufactures a defective product.
Common Personal Injury Lawsuits
The law does not specify the incidents that can lead to personal injury lawsuits. Two of the most common scenarios for personal injury cases are auto accidents that cause injuries or death and workplace accidents.
Criminal cases, such as murder, assault, and rape, can also result in personal injury lawsuits in addition to criminal prosecution. Defendants in those cases may include others in addition to the perpetrator of the crime.
Other common scenarios include:
- Medical malpractice.
- Nursing home abuse.
- Toxic torts.
- Defamation.
- False arrest.
- Malicious prosecution.
- Invasion of privacy.
Our attorneys at Alvarez Law have extensive experience in personal injury cases. This includes injuries and wrongful death caused by motor vehicle crashes; slip, trip, and fall accidents; medical malpractice; construction accidents; defective products; dog attacks; and more.
How Do You Prove Personal Injury Liability?
Showing you sustained injuries isn’t enough to win a personal injury lawsuit. You, as the plaintiff, must establish these four elements to win damages in your case:
- The accident resulted from the other person’s wrongful or negligent act.
- The accident caused the victim’s injuries.
- The victim suffered demonstrable losses as a result of the accident.
- The person responsible for the victim’s losses has assets, such as insurance or personal money to provide compensation.
Successfully establishing these elements requires skilled and experienced counsel. The team at Alvarez Law understands personal injury statutes and case law in Indiana and Illinois and can help guide you in developing a legal strategy that puts you in the best possible position to obtain compensation.
Personal Injury Compensation
You may wonder what compensation you can obtain with a personal injury lawsuit. Every case is different and based on the specific facts involved. Categories of damages in personal injury cases generally involve:
- Medical costs of treatment directly resulting from the acts that resulted in your injuries.
- Ongoing medical costs for follow-up care, such as physical therapy or emotional counseling.
- Transportation costs involved in getting to doctors and hospitals for treatment.
- Pain and suffering as a result of the injuries.
- Lost wages, covering time missed from work.
- Loss of earnings capabilities in the future.
Reckless acts can also result in death. In that case, survivors may be able to file wrongful death cases using some of the same theories involved in personal injury law. An additional category of damages in wrongful death cases is loss of consortium, which occurs from not having a loved one around in your life.
How Can Attorneys Help?
You may wonder if hiring a personal injury attorney is worth it. You’re free to seek compensation on your own, but remember that you’ll most likely be dealing with a defendant’s insurance company. Those companies generally want to settle the case quickly for the least amount possible and will typically do everything they can to talk you into settling early.
A personal injury attorney can take that burden off your shoulders and serve as your negotiator with insurance companies. The team at Alvarez Law may even be able to settle your case without ever having to file a lawsuit. In addition, our attorneys can work with you to evaluate the facts of your case, structure the evidence, keep track of deadlines, and help establish the value of your claim.
All these issues are difficult for a non-lawyer to handle on their own. Research has shown that people with valid accident injury claims receive much lower settlements when they attempt to settle a case without legal representation.
Personal Injury Attorneys in Chicago
With more than 60 years of combined experience in the practice of personal injury law, our attorneys at Alvarez Law in Chicago have the legal knowledge and professionalism you need on your side in your claim for just compensation for your injuries. You may be able to recover for medical expenses, lost earnings and diminished future earning potential, assistive devices, household help, pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, and other damages related to the accident.
Call us today for a free consultation without obligation. We accept personal injury cases on a contingency fee arrangement, which allows you to hire our firm without paying a dime — unless we win money for you. We fight for justice for the injured in Northwestern Indiana, including Crown Point, Merrillville, Hammond, Gary, Dyer, St. John, Griffith, East Chicago, Munster, Schererville, Valparaiso, Knox, Portage, Newton, Culver, and the entire Chicagoland area.
ABOUT ALVAREZ LAW
With over 200 years of combined experience, Alvarez Law is ready to take on your case. Since 1974, our law office has been dedicated to providing our clients with the representation they deserve in what can be a life-altering time. Our team can ensure that your case will be thoroughly investigated, and we will fight to seek the best possible outcome. We want to provide you with the confidence that you can trust our team. Our dedicated attorneys will provide you with the support and experience you need during this difficult time.
Our law firm has two former prosecutors on staff who know the methods and tactics of prosecution. This knowledge is used to ensure your freedom isn’t left to chance. Whether you’ve been accused of a felony or misdemeanor, Alvarez Law Office will use this advantage in your favor.
REACH OUT TO ALVAREZ LAW TODAY
A conviction can change the course of your life in an instant. A criminal record can make it harder to find a job or find a place to live in the future, depending on your charges. Whether you’re being investigated or have already been arrested, you should contact a lawyer first thing.
If you need a criminal defense attorney, reach out to the team at Alvarez Law today. One of our experienced attorneys will be glad to discuss your case and see what we can do for you. You can reach us by phone at 219-641-3128 or fill out our quick form online today. We have several convenient locations to better serve our clients throughout Indiana and Illinois. Our team looks forward to working with you and providing you with the representation that you deserve.
