Personal injuries are unfortunately all too common in Cook County. Regardless of what specifically causes one, though, the injured person may be entitled to compensation to cover costs resulting from the incident and anticipated future effects if the accident was preventable and directly caused by another person’s actions.
If you are suffering from a personal injury caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, legal assistance is available in the form of a specialized attorney. Schedule a consultation with a dedicated Cook County personal injury lawyer to learn your options and discover how you might be able to achieve financial recovery for your losses. En Español.
Negligence Provides Grounds for Recovery for Personal Injuries
Quite simply, a personal injury is damage to a person’s body, as opposed to damage to property. It is possible to recover compensation for either type of damage, and often an incident that causes a personal injury also results in property damage as well, such as in the case of a car crash. However, a physical injury must have occurred for an accident victim to be allowed to file suit in civil court.
An injury caused by negligence would be considered an accident, meaning that no one intended to cause harm or even necessarily acted recklessly. However, when an accident occurs because a party failed to exercise a duty of care owed to others, that failure may be said to be the cause of the accident. Accordingly, the person who failed in their duty may be held liable for the consequences stemming from that accident.
Examples of Negligence
For instance, if a driver speeds through a red light, that driver may accidentally hit a pedestrian who starts to cross the street. The driver did not intend to hit the pedestrian or cause any harm, but they also owed the pedestrian a duty to follow the rules of the road and exercise reasonable care. Speeding through a red light would be considered a failure to fulfill that reasonable duty of care, so the driver should be held responsible for the consequences of that failure.
It can often be problematic to establish what the duty of reasonable care should be in a particular situation or to prove that someone’s failure to meet that standard is specifically what caused the injury. Experienced Cook County personal injury attorneys gather all types of evidence to prove these elements of a negligence case, and the sooner they are able to start collecting and preserving evidence, the better.
Compensation to Cover Different Consequences
For those suffering personal injuries due to the negligence of another party, compensation may be available to cover a range of different consequences. In a personal injury lawsuits, an award of money to compensate for various effects from an incident is referred to as damages.
When someone is injured, they may be entitled to receive damages to cover economic harm suffered, such as past medical bills, anticipated future medical needs, wages lost from work, and reduced income in the future.
In addition, the injured person may be able to receive compensation for noneconomic harm. This includes pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment, and other consequences. A Cook County personal injury lawyer could help keep track of, quantify, and pursue compensation for any kind of compensation.
Consulting with a Cook County Personal Injury Attorney
While there are some factors that are the same throughout most personal injury cases, such as the statute of limitations, other aspects of each case are very unique. When looking to recover financially, it is generally best to work with an attorney who could take the time to explore all available avenues for locating evidence and knows the right approach to take based on your unique circumstances.
An experienced Cook County personal injury lawyer could handle every aspect of your case, negotiate on your behalf in out-of-court settlements, and represent you in court if necessary. Call today to schedule a consultation and get started on your case.
