Many injury victims are overwhelmed at the thought of having to go to court and pursue a lawsuit against the individual or entity who is responsible for causing their auto wreck.
This is partly because they are often still recuperating from their injuries and know very little about what goes into a car accident claims process in Illinois. For this reason, we have gone into greater detail about the personal injury claims process below so you have a better understanding of what it takes to obtain full compensation for your losses.
The first thing that most injury victims do when seeking compensation for a personal injury is to obtain legal representation. You’ll likely still be recovering from your injuries and may have have the legal education or training you need to build a successful case. For this reason, it may be in your best interests to kick your personal injury lawsuit off right by having an attorney work your case.
Once you’ve hired an attorney, the next step is to figure out who is to blame for your injuries. Your lawyer will begin to carefully review the details of your case and start investigating to determine liability.
The good news is that most types of accidents have the same culpable parties. For instance, if someone was injured in a slip-and-fall accident, the property owner will nearly always be at fault; in a car accident the Department of Transportation or negligent driver may be to blame.
After fault has been determined, your attorney will move on to calculating the value of your claim. This includes reviewing the various ways your life has been damaged by the accident itself or the injuries you endured. Losses could be financial or non-financial in nature and might include things such as pain and suffering, healthcare costs, diminished quality of life and lost wages, to name a few.
When your lawyer has figured out what your lawsuit is worth, it’s time to negotiate with the insurance company. There will almost always be an insurance company to file a claim with, and your attorney should handle any communications with them, as the insurer is going to do everything possible to minimize their payout on your claim.
Insurance adjusters will often go so far as to manipulate statements and take advantage of you at a time when you need resolution most. If the insurance settlement adequately meets your needs, you’ll accept the offer and your case will be closed.
However, if the insurer doesn’t offer you a fair settlement, or if the settlement amount doesn’t meet your needs, we’ll have to bring your case to court and file a lawsuit against whoever is to blame for your injuries.
The car accident claims process can be quite complex, but when you have a Rockford car accident attorney working on your case, you can rest easier knowing a highly trained professional is fighting for maximum payment of your losses. To schedule a free consultation at Mahoney & Mahoney, LLC, find us online and submit the contact form or give our office a call at 815-656-4600.
At Mahoney & Mahoney, LLC, practicing law is a family tradition. Tim and P. Michael Mahoney are a father and son team, and going back one generation further, Francis X. Mahoney had a distinguished career as both a judge and an attorney. P. Michael Mahoney has himself been a judge, and Tim is widely recognized as one of the top lawyers in Northwestern Illinois.... View full business profile here: Mahoney & Mahoney, LLC
