Chicago Personal Injury Attorneys
by Michael Helfand
(Illinois)
A number of personal injury cases are filed in Chicago – at the main courthouse in the Daley Center located at 50 W. Washington Street - because research has shown that plaintiffs recover more in the city than in suburban or rural areas.
Depending on the amount you are seeking to recover, your case will either be filed in the civil division (if you are seeking an amount less than $30,000) or in the law division (if you are seeking to recover more than $30,000).
What is personal injury?
If you are harmed – not just physically but financially or in other ways, or if your property was damaged - as the result of someone else’s negligence, your case will be a personal injury case. It is a category that covers a wide variety of circumstances, including slip and falls, dog bites, car accidents, other accidents, and product liability.
What can I recover?
When you file a personal injury case, you are asking the court to award you “damages,” which is monetary compensation to restore you to where you were before you were harmed. That does not mean that is necessarily what you will get but it is what you are seeking. This can include, among other things, medical expenses, reimbursement of lost wages, costs to repair or replace property and pain and suffering.
How will I pay for an attorney?
Personal injury attorneys, not only in Chicago but throughout Illinois, generally charge for personal injury cases on a contingency basis. Contingency basis means that your attorney only gets something if you get something. If you recover a settlement or jury award, your attorney is paid from that amount. If you recover nothing, your attorney gets nothing. There is no cost to you. You pay nothing out of pocket.
Generally, personal injury attorneys get 1/3 of the recovery amount as payment. So, if you get a jury award or settlement of $600,000, your attorney gets $200,000. If you recover nothing, your attorney gets nothing despite the hours and costs they’ve expended. It is the cost of doing business in the area of personal injury law. It is a risk/reward arrangement.
How do I find the right lawyer?
If you are looking for a personal injury attorney in Chicago, be sure to do your homework in order to find the one who will be a right fit for your case. In addition to research on the internet and word of mouth, ask for an initial consultation (which should always be free).
You want to know how many cases they’ve handled successfully that are similar to yours, how they plan to handle your case and meet your goals, how they plan to communicate with you, who will be working on your case and other expectations you may have.
Call us. We are free and we are confidential. We will listen to your situation and will be able to recommend a personal injury attorney in Chicago who will be the right fit for your particular case.
-------------------------
To learn more visit FindGreatLawyers.com
Michael Helfand has been an Illinois attorney since 1997 and is founder of FindGreatLawyers.com, the leading resource for Illinois lawyer referrals and legal guidance.
