If you or a family member were injured in an unexpected accident, it’s important to understand your legal rights. Victims in Elgin, Illinois, are entitled to seek compensation from anyone who caused their injuries. The experienced Elgin personal injury lawyers at Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers can help your family fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
We are dedicated to guiding you through every step of the legal process and ensuring that your physical and financial recovery is as smooth and stress-free as possible. Our firm has over 35 years of combined experience and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. We are committed to making sure you get the compensation you deserve. Contact our law office today at (312) 635-5400 to arrange a confidential consultation.
How Can Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers Help After a Personal Injury Accident in Elgin, IL?
The time following an accident can be challenging. You may be struggling with physical pain and medical bills, which can make the road to recovery even more trying. It can be incredibly frustrating to watch your life be affected by an accident you didn’t cause.
To make things even more difficult, most injured parties are forced to deal with an insurance company in order to recover damages. Victims are usually faced with an uphill battle when it comes to filing an insurance claim and receiving compensation.
An experienced Elgin personal injury attorney can help. At Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers, we’ve spent our careers protecting people like you.
When you hire us, we will work hard to:
- Assess your case value
- Gather evidence that can prove causation and establish liability
- Hire expert witnesses who can strengthen your case
- Handle all legal issues and communications
- Negotiate with insurance companies
- Demand fair compensation from all responsible parties
Every personal injury case is different. Contact us today so we can assess your unique case and make sure you have every opportunity to be fairly compensated.
How Common Are Personal Injury Accidents in Elgin?
Elgin is a bustling city, and accidents happen every day. There are countless ways to get hurt, but car accidents are one of the most common types of accidents throughout Elgin and the state of Illinois. In 2023, over 2,000 crashes were reported in Elgin, with five fatalities and nearly 1,000 injuries.
Work-related injuries are also common in Elgin. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 100,000 private industry workers in Illinois suffered injuries and illnesses in 2023. Nearly 65,000 of those were “severe,” involving days away from work, job transfer, or restriction while recuperating.
While accidents are inevitable, bad ones can dramatically affect a victim’s ability to function and enjoy life. The responsible party can and should be held liable when others are injured. Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers is here to help.
How Much Is My Elgin Personal Injury Case Worth?
Many different factors come into play when assessing the value of a personal injury claim. Cases involving more severe injuries generally result in higher settlements and verdicts. However, it’s important to evaluate all of the different variables to ensure you receive the highest possible compensation.
Some of the factors our lawyers will use to determine the value of your case are:
- The type of accident
- The nature of your injuries
- Whether you can continue working while you recover
- Whether your future earnings will be reduced due to your injuries
- The cost of medical treatment and rehabilitation
- Whether you need ongoing medical care
- Whether you share any fault for the accident and injury
These are only some of the many factors that should be considered when valuing a personal injury case. Our legal team will assess all of these and more in order to ensure you have every opportunity for compensation.
What Is Negligence and How Do I Prove It?
Personal injury accidents usually occur when someone fails to act with a reasonable amount of care and ends up harming someone else. The legal term for this is called negligence.
The four elements to prove in a negligence claim are:
- The defendant owed a legal duty of care
- The defendant breached their duty of care
- The breach of duty was the direct and proximate cause of the accident
- Specific damages were suffered as a result
Proving negligence can be difficult, but Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers can help. While you’re dealing with your recovery you can count on our experienced attorneys to make sure you get fairly compensated for your injury.
What Kinds of Evidence Will Be Used to Prove Negligence?
Proving negligence can be difficult and all kinds of different evidence must be considered when building a case.
Some examples of the types of evidence we’ll search for and analyze include:
- Police reports
- Medical records
- Statements from eyewitnesses
- Video footage from nearby businesses, traffic lights, or dashcams
- Statements from experts
Our Elgin personal injury attorneys know how to locate the evidence you need to prevail in your case.
What Kinds of Damages Are Available to Personal Injury Accident Victims?
When your personal injury case succeeds, you should receive compensation for any loss you have suffered. Victims in Elgin can recover compensation for both economic and non-economic damages.
What Are Economic Damages?
Economic damages cover the financial costs that stem from an accident and injury, including:
- Current medical bills
- Lost wages
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Reduced earning potential
- Future medical expenses
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Nursing care
- In-home assistance
- Property damage
What Are Non-Economic Damages?
Non-economic damages compensate for the more intangible harm you may experience, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
Proving the value of non-economic damages is always difficult, and insurance companies often do everything they can to avoid paying. That’s why you need a skilled lawyer to negotiate for every dollar you’re entitled to.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Personal Injury Accident in Illinois?
Illinois is a modified comparative negligence state. Under this rule, an injured party may recover damages only if they are less than 51% at fault for the injury or damages.
The recovered amount will be reduced in proportion to the degree that the injured party was at fault. For example, in a car accident case, if the other driver is determined to be 70% at fault and you are determined to be 30% at fault, you can only collect 70% of your damages.
This calculation can get complicated, but an experienced personal injury lawyer can ensure that you get the maximum amount of damages you deserve.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire an Elgin Personal Injury Lawyer?
If you are considering hiring a personal injury lawyer in Elgin, a contingency fee arrangement can provide a path to representation without upfront costs. Our lawyers take cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you pay nothing upfront unless we win your case.
This makes legal services available to victims who are already struggling and don’t want to have to worry about mounting medical bills, lost income, and other expenses while also paying for legal representation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Personal Injury Accident in Illinois?
In Illinois, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is generally two years from the date of the injury. This means that if you don’t file a claim within two years of your injury occurring, you may lose your right to do so.
However, there are exceptions to this rule. It’s important that you talk to an Elgin personal injury attorney to ensure that you don’t miss any deadlines and that you have every opportunity to pursue compensation.
We Handle All Types of Personal Injury Cases in Elgin
While personal injury cases can be complex, our legal team at Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers has the skill to handle any type of personal injury case.
In addition to motor vehicle accidents, our lawyers often represent clients in cases such as:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bus accidents
- Uber or Lyft accidents
- Product liability
- Workers’ compensation
- Dog bites
- Medical malpractice
- Wrongful death
- Brain injuries
- Nursing home abuse
Our lawyers will fight for you and do everything we can to maximize the compensation you take home after an injury.
Contact an Elgin Personal Injury Lawyer for a Free Case Evaluation
If you or a family member were injured in an accident, our team at Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers is here to help. Victims in Elgin are entitled to seek compensation from anyone who caused their injuries. Our Elgin personal injury lawyers fight for victims every day, and we’re prepared to stand by your side at every stage of the legal process.
Contact us now to schedule your free consultation. We’re always available to discuss your case and help you better understand your legal options.