The Personal Injury Lawyers In Joliet, IL

If you have been emotionally or physically injured, or your property has been damaged, this falls under personal injury law. These laws are designed to ensure the injured party receives compensation for the damages. The winning party of those damages is determined by a person’s negligence, actions, recklessness or carelessness.

This area of law is also known as tort law. It functions on both the state and federal levels to protect your rights. In order to take tort action, there must be three elements present.

  1. A legal duty between the victim and the individual who caused the injury
  2. A breach of that duty
  3. Damages that occurred because of that breach

If all three elements exist, our Joliet personal injury lawyers can help you.

A Societal Demand

The goal of many personal injury laws is to prevent individuals from harming each other. This helps ensure both people and their possessions are safe from harm. If someone harms an individual or their belongings, they are held to the tort laws specific to the given situation. Some examples of tort law include:

  • Falls
  • Work-related injuries
  • Toxic tort, due to a chemical exposure

Liability is typically established via intentional actions, negligence or tort. An intentional action is defined as one that was completed intending to cause harm. That means the individual wished to harm or injure the victim.

Negligence is defined as failing to take the appropriate action that resulted in injuring someone or damaging property.

For instance, if someone throws a rock through a window, it’s considered intentional harm, which can also hold criminal consequences. However, if a careless driver damages your car, it is considered negligence instead. The first example is a case where the defendant intended to cause harm. The second one is a case where an individual simply failed to take the right actions to avoid the accident.

In both situations, the person who caused the damage is held liable for the resulting damages. This is because of the duty set forth by society, which in this case is breached. Intentional or negligent acts had caused damage or injury in this case.

Strict Liability

Your personal injury attorney can also help with cases that fall under strict liability. That means an individual is held responsible, regardless of whether negligence is involved.

This type of law is typically used when the situation is inherently or abnormally dangerous. Product liability also often falls under this category.

In these situations, manufacturers are held responsible for ensuring their products are safe to use as intended. If an individual is injured when using a product as directed, there is no need to prove negligence. You also do not have to provide intent under strict liability. A personal injury lawyer needs only to prove the product was defective and resulted in harm.

Holding The Responsible Party Liable

After a personal injury occurs, the responsible party must pay for the damages. The term “damages” refers to anything that may be owed as compensation for your loss. These damages can be agreed upon between the responsible party and the injured party. They can also be agreed upon through an insurance settlement or by other methods.

In many cases, however, the damages offered are not sufficient.

This is typically the case when your injuries leave you unable to work. It’s best to find a personal injury lawyer that will help you determine who was in the wrong. Once that’s established, those who are liable for the injuries will be pursued in court. The appropriate damages will be paid out.

Commons Types Of Personal Injury Cases

There are thousands of personal injury law cases that occur across the United States each year. These winning cases can sometimes result in millions of dollars in damages. The winning damages can ease pain and suffering from lost wages, medical bills, or the wrongful death of a loved one.

While the circumstances surrounding each personal injury claim are different, there are several that fit a common theme. Just some of these claims include but are not limited to

  • Motor Vehicle Accidents – Reckless drivers cause thousands of injuries each year during car crashes. If you’ve been injured by someone else hitting your vehicle, then you might be entitled to damages.
  • Truck Accidents – Semi-trucks weigh thousands of pounds more than your typical passenger vehicle. An accident can not only lead to serious physical harm, but it could also potentially kill you.
  • Slips and Falls – This can happen at the local grocery store or your family member’s home. Most injuries of this nature that occur on someone else’s property, immediately become their responsibility.
  • Animal Bites or injuries – A bite or scratch from a cat or dog can lead to serious health injuries. From nerve and muscle damage to bacterial infections, injuries that come from any animal are serious. Pet owners have an obligation to keep their animals properly leashed or contained so no harm happens to others.
  • Nursing Home Abuse – Your family members deserve to be treated with respect during their retirement years. This should especially be the case in a specialized healthcare facility like a nursing home. If you believe your loved one is facing abuse, it’s time to contact a lawyer for help.
  • Medical Malpractice – Medical professionals and medical institutions have an obligation to keep you safe and well. Some examples of this type of personal injury include
    • an incorrect diagnosis
    • an infection from a hospital
    • a critical medical error during surgery
    • an overdose of anesthesia
    • a wrongful death or birth
    • Failure to monitor a patient
    • Emergency room errors

Discover Our Personal Injury Lawyers In Joliet

There are a few steps you should take before seeking legal representation in a personal injury case.

First, it’s important to get medical attention for your personal injury. Then, you need to follow up with your insurance company and the appropriate authorities to document your injuries.  Once those steps are completed, then you should consider contacting an attorney for your case.

If you believe your injury was the result of someone else’s intentional act or carelessness, then you need help. Contact our Joliet personal injury attorney.

It is critical to do this as soon as possible. You should avoid talking about the injury or the situation with the other party’s insurance representatives or even strangers. However, it’s also important to continue cooperating with law enforcement, your own insurance company, and your medical professionals.

Personal injury cases usually fall under a statute of limitations. This makes it essential to act quickly on your claim in order to get the compensation you deserve.

If you or a loved one have been injured by another person’s actions, then you might be entitled to compensation. Receive quality legal support from our personal injury lawyers in Mokena, Lockport and the other communities surrounding Joliet.

Our team will help you get your medical expenses covered and justice for any physical or emotional harm. Contact The Law Firm of Block, Klukas, Manzella & Shell, P.C. in Joliet, Illinois. Someone from our team will schedule a free consultation for your personal injury matter.