Pedestrian accidents commonly lead to severe injuries. If you or a loved one were injured after being hit by a vehicle, you might be eligible for compensation. Fortunately, an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer could review your situation and determine whether you have a valid case or not. If you do, an attorney could help you with filing a Chicago pedestrian accident claim. After filing the claim, the lawyer could look out for your best interests and help you recover the damages that you deserve.
Determining Where a Pedestrian Accident Case Will be Filed
An injury claim may be filed in district, circuit, or federal court. Which court a case is filed depends on the facts of the case, such as who was at fault and what jurisdiction the at-fault party resides. In Illinois, a person will usually file in circuit court depending on who the defendant is. If it involves a federal vehicle or occurs on federal property, they could file a Chicago pedestrian accident case in federal court.
What to Consider Before Filing a Lawsuit
Some important considerations in deciding whether to file a suit include whether there has been an adequate offer made to resolve it without litigation. If the at-fault party offers adequate compensation, the injured party may want to accept it and avoid litigation. However, if the settlement offer is not enough, the injured victim may want to file a lawsuit.
The crucial questions to consider before filing a lawsuit include:
- How long litigation is going to take
- How expensive litigation will be
- What the likelihood of success is
- How credible the witnesses are
- How severe is the medical treatment
The injured victim will want to weight the pros and cons of filing a lawsuit. Fortunately, one of the benefits of obtaining an accomplished lawyer is that they could help a claimant understand their options and give them legal advice on how to proceed.
Steps to Take Prior to Filing a Pedestrian Accident Claim
Before filing a pedestrian accident claim in Chicago, the individual should speak with an attorney and have them collect evidence and talk to the insurance companies involved. Insurance companies often try to take advantage of injured parties by reaching out to them as quickly as possible after an accident when the scope of an injury is not fully known. Fortunately, a lawyer could speak on behalf of the injured victim to protect their best interests. By gathering evidence, a lawyer could be able to establish negligence and calculate the possible available damages.
What Happens Once a Case is Filed?
In Chicago, not much is handled inside the courtroom other than case-management conferences with the judge once the case is filed. These are times when an attorney checks in with them on a regular basis and alerts them to the progress of a case they have considered. Most of the progress done outside of court involves sitting for depositions, answering written discovery, interviewing witnesses, and more.
Contact a Chicago Lawyer About Filing a Pedestrian Accident Claim
If you have been injured after being hit by a vehicle, call a well-versed lawyer who has experience with filing a Chicago pedestrian accident claim. An attorney could help you recover the compensation you deserve following your accident. Contact our team today.