Thousands of people in Illinois are injured in accidents that are not their fault every year. In fact, the Illinois Department of Transportation reports nearly 73,000 people across the state were hurt in car accidents in one recent year, with more than 8,500 of them suffering incapacitating injuries. When you include the number of people injured in other accidents — slip-and-falls, nursing home abuse, medical malpractice, motorcycle crashes, semi-truck crashes, etc. — the number of victims can be overwhelming.
The Wheaton personal injury lawyers of Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC want to help if you have been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault. Our Wheaton personal injury attorneys have spent more than 50 years helping victims recover fair compensation for their injuries. We have recovered more than $400 million for our clients, and we can help you claim compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and other expenses related to an accident. Our team is standing by to talk about your case, so call 312-346-8620 or visit our contact page today for your confidential consultation.
Personal Injury Cases We Handle
Our Wheaton personal injury attorneys have the knowledge and experience to tackle many different kinds of cases. Some of the cases we have handled in the past include:
- Car accidents — Drivers who cause an accident because they are impaired, distracted, speeding, acting aggressively, or are otherwise negligent should be held accountable for the injuries that result. In addition to car accident cases, we also handle motorcycle crashes, bicycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents.
- Truck accidents — While there are fewer semi-trucks on the roads than passenger cars, truck accidents tend to cause much more devastation when an accident occurs. Truck drivers frequently go long hours without rest, putting themselves and everyone around them in danger. Other forms of truck driver negligence include distracted driving, driving while impaired, speeding, and failing to check blind spots when merging or passing.
- Nursing home negligence — We trust nursing homes and assisted living facilities to look after our elderly loved ones, and when a facility abuses that trust, they should be held accountable. Nursing home abuse and neglect include things like poor medical care, neglect and isolation, identity theft and financial abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and more.
- Medical malpractice — Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers can cause serious injuries and even death if they make a mistake. Many of these mistakes — wrong-site surgeries, prescription errors, lab errors, etc. — could have been prevented with proper diligence.
- Birth injuries — A child who suffers a birth injury may have to deal with the effects of that injury for the rest of their life. Birth injuries are frequently caused by doctors improperly using birthing tools, being too rough with a newborn baby, or not properly monitoring the mother’s health during pregnancy.
- Construction accidents — Construction sites can be extremely dangerous, both for workers and passers-by. There are numerous fall or tripping hazards near construction sites, and passers-by can also be injured by falling objects, faulty equipment, and exposure to certain toxic substances.
- Defective products — Any number of household products can cause major injuries in certain circumstances. These include cleaning products, children’s toys, prescription drugs, and even larger items, like cars or other motor vehicles.
- Wrongful death — Unfortunately, there are cases when someone is killed due to their injuries from an accident. While a personal injury lawsuit cannot undo the pain of losing a family member, you can still hold the negligent party liable for their actions, as well as recover compensation for the loss of the family member’s emotional and financial support.
Compensation in Wheaton Personal Injury Cases
There are three categories of compensation available if you win a personal injury case. They are:
- Economic damages — Economic damages are compensation for the financial losses related to an accident that you can easily put a fixed dollar value on. This includes things like your medical bills, lost wages, reduced future income, the value of any damaged personal property, etc.
- Non-economic damages — Non-economic damages are compensation that covers your injuries or other losses in an accident that are intangible and harder to pin a dollar value on. This includes things like your pain and suffering, mental and emotional distress, lower quality of life, etc.
- Punitive damages — In cases where a defendant in a personal injury case acted with reckless and outrageous indifference or intentionally caused an accident, a judge or jury can award additional compensation to the injured party. Instead of being based on a specific injury you suffered, punitive damages are aimed at disciplining the negligent party and discouraging others from similar behavior.
It is difficult to estimate the value of a personal injury case until a lawyer has had a chance to look over the evidence. The best way to maximize the value of a personal injury case is to get help from an experienced attorney. A Wheaton personal injury lawyer can help you document all the injuries you suffered and find the necessary evidence to prove that the party who injured you was negligent. Contact us today.
Why Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Many accident victims are wary of hiring a lawyer because they are worried about the cost or the time involved in a lawsuit. These are understandable concerns, but they are also misplaced. Here are a few key reasons why you need a lawyer to pursue a personal injury case:
- Maximizing your claim — A lawyer will be able to identify all the different injuries you have suffered, allowing you to pursue the full amount of compensation for your losses. A lawyer can also help you find the evidence you need to establish the other party’s liability.
- Making life easier on yourself — You could handle your personal injury case on your own, but the amount of work involved makes that a challenge, especially if you have recently suffered a major injury. Let a personal injury attorney handle that work for you so you can focus on getting medical treatment and recovering from your injuries.
- You do not have to pay your lawyer upfront — Cost is a major concern for many accident victims, but you do not need to worry about that at Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC. Our firm works on a contingency basis, so you do need to worry about any attorney fees unless we help you recover compensation for your injuries. This approach allows anyone who needs legal representation to afford it.
Contact a Wheaton, IL, Personal Injury Attorney Today
Illinois law gives you two years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit, so it is in your interest to speak to an attorney as soon as possible. Contact Karlin, Fleisher & Falkenberg, LLC today for a confidential consultation with a Wheaton personal injury lawyer.