Personal Injury Services in Chicago
Our experienced and knowledgeable injury attorneys are dedicated to protecting your legal rights and championing your best interests, no matter how complex your situation may be. We believe in the power of a collaborative approach to personal injury cases, as it allows us to provide our clients with a wealth of insights and skillsets found in big firms while maintaining a small-firm level of client service and attention.
That being said, we represent victims of a broad spectrum of accidents and wrongdoings, including:
Depending on the type of accident, a person can suffer a great deal of short-term and long-term pain, distress, and other losses. Although anyone can suffer any type of injury from any type of accident, the most common types of injuries include:
- Chronic pain injuries
- Head and brain injuries
- Orthopedic injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Burns
- Internal injuries
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Amputation
We can fight for the compensation you need to get back on your feet and recover from these debilitating injuries. No one should get away with causing your injuries because they acted out of negligence or malice, so you can count on our high-caliber team of lawyers to stand up for your rights every step of the way.
What Types of Damages Are Available in Personal Injury Cases?
Damages refer to the money awarded to plaintiffs in a personal injury case. Damages are generally broken down into compensatory and punitive, each of which cover different losses. Compensatory damages, also known as actual damages, compensate victims for their injuries and losses caused by their accident. Compensatory damages are broken down into general and special damages, both of which account for different losses, which you can below:
Special compensatory damages (also known as economic damages)
- Medical expenses
- Transportation costs
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Property damage
- Legal fees
General compensatory damages (also known as non-economic damages)
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- PTSD
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Special compensatory damages are typically easier to identify because you can place a dollar amount on these types of losses. For example, if you broke your arm in a car accident, you can show evidence such as medical bills, therapy expenses, lost income, and other losses in order to obtain compensation. On the other hand, general compensatory damages are intangible, making them more difficult to value. Think about it ― placing a dollar value on someone’s pain and emotional distress is far from simple. But these are the decisions a judge will have to make.
Another type of damage in personal injury cases is punitive damages. However, punitive damages are rarely awarded because they are available only in cases involving particularly harmful conduct. The purpose of these damages is to deter the defendant from committing the act that injured the plaintiff and set an example of the penalties that others could face if they commit the same actions. With this in mind, a court will only award punitive damages if the judge finds the defendant’s conduct to be intentional or grossly negligent.